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DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRIES? 













EDUCATIONAL P L A Y-B O O K SERIES 


ACTING PLAYS 

FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


BY 

PATTEN BEARD 

II 



BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY 
CHICAGO 


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Copyright, ,1927, by 
BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY 






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Printed in the /Suited States of America 

Ocuioisios 


FOREWORD 


Why Use Plays: 

Primarily, because they entertain. 

Girls and boys enjoy the fun of “dressing up” and 
“making believe.” This taste shows itself even be¬ 
fore kindergarten age in the self-expression of such 
amusements as House, Store, School, Indian and 
Circus games. 

Play-acting is a social interest. It gives scope for 
school entertainment, club, camp and home amuse¬ 
ment. 

It is an educational factor in child training. 

What Play-Acting Teaches: 

Training of memory. 

Training of speech. 

Bodily discipline. 

Teamwork. 

Imaginative creativeness. 

Elementary costume-designing and stage-setting and 
the decorative value of color. 

Where Plays May Be Given: 

Indoors, outdoors—on stage or platform or in rooms 
or halls wherever there is a play to give. Simple 
scenery is desirable and preferably such as boys 
and girls can make with help themselves. 

Training: 

A double cast gives every child a chance. From it 
may be made final selections for the acting after 
rehearsals. 


5 


G 


FOREWORD 


Music : 

Phonograph records for dances and musical inter¬ 
ludes are helpful. Simplicity, harmony, natural 
self-expression are the perfection of the play for 
girls and boys. 

Bibliography : 

A word of thanks is due Mrs. Helen Weil, whose val¬ 
ued experience as an instructor in voice culture 
and play-acting has given to this book its helpful 
bibliography. 


Patten Beard 


CONTENTS 


Page 

The Child’s Play. 9 

Stories of the Plays. 13 

FOR SPRING 

The Butterfly . 15 

For Springtime, Easter, or School Commencement 

Little George Washington. 23 

For February 22nd or Valentine’s Day 

When the Beanstalk Grew Again. 31 

A Fairy Play for Spring or Any Season 

The Easter Bonnet. 38 

For Entire School 

FOR SUMMER 

We Believe in Fairies . 43 

An Outdoor Pageant 

The Making of a Flag. 47 

A Patriotic Dialogue 

FOR FALL 

The Mother Goose School. 54 

For the Younger Children 

The Goblins . 60 

For Hallowe’en 

The Children’s Bookshelf . 77 

For Book Week 

FOR WINTER 

The Night Before Christmas. 86 

For a Child Audience 

The Christmas Stocking. 95 

The Spirit of Giving 

The Three Dwarf Brothers.106 

For New Year’s 

Bibliography. 114 


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THE CHILD’S PLAY 

For social entertainment, for special drill in schools, 
for camp amusement, for children’s club work, or for 
mere home fun, the acting play offers expression to the 
child’s natural love of “dressing up” and “make-believe.” 
It is a game that fits the mould of the child’s mind. In 
his own self-made drama of play, he acts impromptu 
the everyday scenes of House or Store, Indians or Circus, 
and he needs no audience and few properties to make 
vivid his self-suggested fun. 

So the acting play, adapted to school use, becomes a 
natural medium for teaching many things. From the 
mere reading of the story to the final event of produc¬ 
tion, it holds opportunity for cooperative discipline and 
teamwork, beside training in speech, action, memoriz¬ 
ing and creative interpretation. In the assembling of 
properties and the actual staging, there is always some¬ 
thing new to be learned. 

In choice of play for acting purposes, subject and ac¬ 
tion for juniors should be simple and should touch the 
quick imagination and common interests of the child. 

A good way to begin is to read the play in class group. 
Those who do best in the reading may be assigned lead¬ 
ing parts with understudies. This double cast gives a 
chance to select the best work for the final event of pro¬ 
duction. The whole aim is discipline in teamwork; for 
though the child may freely express himself, he must be 
directed and guided and must learn how to sink his 
personality in the blending of the parts in an artistic 
whole. 

Dates of rehearsals should be made known to all who 
are taking part, so there may be no excuses and few 
absences. Unless school time is used, some common 


9 


10 


THE CHILD’S PLAY 


time that suits everybody should be decided upon. As 
few rehearsals as possible should be given, since chil¬ 
dren grow tired of repeated training and respond less 
well when their interest is dulled by too frequent repe¬ 
tition. For small children, very brief rehearsals are 
best. The gilded joy of spontaneity is quickly lost. 

After three rehearsals, the child should be respon¬ 
sible for his part and certain chosen groups, given full 
responsibility, should have definitely assumed the as¬ 
sembling of properties, stage-settings, the making and 
arranging of curtain and its drawing. When everyone 
knows what is expected of him and acts his part in 
cooperative teamwork, the play has started toward suc¬ 
cess. Reliable children should be chosen to do the ex¬ 
ecutive work. 

As soon as the cast is letter-perfect, rehearsal should 
take place upon the stage where the play is to be given. 
This holds true of outdoor plays as well as those given 
indoors. In this way the cast becomes accustomed to 
space used, to grouping, to exits as well as action. 

Simple scenery is as effective as “real stage scenery,” 
but it must be arranged with artistic understanding. 
For background, a soft, neutral-toned curtain may be 
hung at the rear of the stage. And the scene, with this, 
easily becomes an indoor or outdoor one. To make a 
quick change from indoors to outdoors, without drawing 
front curtain, pages, well drilled, may bring in tree 
boughs that have been nailed to wooden supports and 
place these quickly where they should go. These 
wooden frames are quite light to carry. It is easy also to 
make scenery from beaverboard. The children them¬ 
selves can paint it. 

Where there can be no front curtain, large screens 
may be made on light wooden frames, using tapestry 
wall paper for their covering. In sections, pages may 
handle these easily and quickly covering the stage open¬ 
ing. 


rilE CHILD’S PLAY 


11 


As to costumes, each child will probably haye his 
made at home. It is therefore necessary to make very 
clear to each one exactly what he should wear. Some¬ 
times it may be advisable to have costumes made under 
supervision subject to a uniformity of materials that 
permits of economy as well as harmony. Effective 
fairy dresses can be made with crepe paper that are 
sewed to white slips. 

Elves and dwarfs may wear green tights made from 
dyed underwear to which stockings are sewed. Slipper 
soles may be sewed to the flat of the foot of stockings 
and tied with tapes to make ballet slippers. Bunting 
that drapes in soft lines is always effective for costumes 
and comes in bright colors that adapt themselves well 
to stage use. 

With children small jealousies crop up in the matter 
of elaborate costumes; simplicity is always best, and it 
tends to make a child less self-conscious. 

In costuming a fairy play, obtain some well illus¬ 
trated book of fairy tales from the library and follow its 
suggestions. In like manner, a historical play may be 
dressed. Accuracy in detail makes for harmony. 

While changing scenes, the interval of music may be 
used to give some gifted child a chance to play before 
the audience; but where this is done, the selection should 
carry out the spirit of the acted play. Of course, too, 
the phonograph with loud needle offers help during in¬ 
termissions. 

Woodland or garden voices may be simulated by the 
use of bird whistles. Accompaniment of bird whistles 
to fairy dance music may be drilled and will be charm¬ 
ing in woodland or outdoor play. 

In garden scenes, artificial flowers such as one may 
huy at ten-cent stores are better than real flowers that 
fade. Moreover, these can be arranged long before¬ 
hand and set aside and they are more effective than the 
real thing. * 


12 


THE CHILD’S PLAY 


Every child should have his part in the play’s pro¬ 
duction and should hold himself absolutely responsible 
to perform this definite duty. Thus the class artist will 
draw programs or posters; the class carpenters will 
make the standards for trees and frames for movable 
curtain that pages carry. Those who have no special 
talents can see to stage properties. The boy who has a 
printing press may make tickets. At roll call for the 
play, each should answer concerning his special duty. 

The fact that outsiders and relatives are to be invited 
to the play adds incentive to excel in conforming to the 
best rendering and efficiency. Where the play is given 
by a class, performance to parents and friends may 
often be followed by a benefit open to the public. The 
children will enjoy both and the money earned for 
worthy cause adds to the importance of the social game. 

Simplicity is the keynote of the little children’s play. 
In subject, in action, in teaching, its charm lies in the 
naive art of the child’s own interpretation of Everyday 
and of fairylike Make-believe. 


STORIES OF THE PLAYS 


THE BUTTERFLY 

This is a nature play. It offers a chance for tableaux and 
dancing. Briefly, it tells the story of the butterfly and as such 
it suggests springtime or Easter use in school or church, home 
or club. 

LITTLE GEORGE WASHINGTON 

The famous cherry tree legend worked into a child’s play. 
It may be used for Valentine’s Day as well as Washington’s 
Birthday. Omitting the jingle of the Prologue, it may be used on 
any day desired. It offers a good chance to stage a pretty 
costume play. 

WHEN JACK’S BEANSTALK GREW AGAIN 

This play takes up the story of Jack and his beanstalk some 
ten years after it was cut down and when Jack has grown to 
be a young man. It may be used by school or club as a fairy 
play to produce at any special season. It should have a “real 
stage” for its presentation, though the little play may be given 
even on a small platform with curtain. 

THE EASTER BONNET 

May be used by a class for Easter entertainment in which an 
entire school takes part through some special contribution. 
It is merely the story of the springtime “new bonnet” and as 
such its appeal is to springtime interest. 

WE BELIEVE IN FAIRIES 

A pageant that is particularly adapted to outdoor presenta¬ 
tion by school or camp. It may be used by the younger grades 
as an end-of-the-year entertainment. It offers a chance to 
various classes of interpretative dancing, folk dancing and gym¬ 
nastic drill, as well as a place to every child to take some special, 
costumed part in its presentation. 

MAKING THE FLAG 

A patriotic children’s pageant in which an entire school may 
lake part. It may be used in camp or home as a celebration 
of any patriotic day—Flag Day, Fourth of July or Washington’s 
Birthday. It tells through its dialogue the story of the flag 
and its meaning. It offers through its groups of characters 
opportunity for many to take part in its presentation. 

13 


M 


STORIES OF THE PLAYS 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 
This little play may be used for school entertainment where 
some dialogue for younger children is needed at the close of 
school year. It requires no large platform or stage and its 
setting is simple. A number of children—an entire grade- 
may take part. Its appeal is to the child who will enjoy the 
fun of “playing a part” about school—a play that is suited to 
First-, Second-, Third- or Fourth-Grade children. 

THE GOBLINS 

A Hallowe’en play for school or home use. It defines Hal¬ 
lowe’en fun for the children and teaches the lesson of real 
fun and happy frolic, rather than practical joking. It offers 
a chance for folk dances by goblins and children. 

THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF 
This children’s dialogue requires little action and may be 
used in a hall where the platform is small. It is suited to any 
season of the year. Its special stress of good reading makes it 
particularly suitable to Book Week celebration for school, 
library, club or home use. 

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 
Makes a good Christmas entertainment for a child audience 
where, later, there may be a Christmas party with a tree. It 
is suited to home presentation or use in school. 

THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING 

Adapted for Sunday School presentation or in schools where 
gifts may later be distributed through the audience by Santa 
Claus and the children. 

It serves to emphasize the Christmas spirit of giving rather 
than receiving, a lesson that children should be taught. It is 
a good thing to visualize this in a little acted play, in which 
the contrast is made between two children, one who is selfishly 
thinking only of his own gifts, while the other is absorbed 
wholly in thoughts of others. 

THE THREE DWARF BROTHERS 
A play that requires only four actors It may therefore 
easily be given by children who have the required ability and 
used for the benefit of some charity in which a children’s class, 
club or organization is specially interested. Its staging is 
simple. It requires no large platform and little action. Where 
it is desirable to introduce a larger cast, the Good Fairy may, 
at the close, call in Good Wishes, represented by many children 
bringing gifts, and these may dance a New Year’s Dance about 
Stingy, Selfish and Generous. 


THE BUTTERFLY 


CHARACTERS 

Papillon Autumn 

Spring Winter ’ 

Summer Mother Nature 

STAGING 

Place at back of stage a dark green curtain and against this 
arrange a screen of fir boughs to hide the green curtain as tall 
as the height of a grown person. There should be a narrow 
exit through these branches at the rear, also exits at right and 
left. The setting represents an outdoor scene. 

COSTUMES 

Mother Nature, a tall girl dressed in a dark green dress. Leaves 
are woven into a girdle at her waist and arranged in a flat 
crown about her head. Her hair is worn high on her head, 
in a coil. 

Spring, a younger girl, slim and small. She wears a loose white 
dress of gauzy stuff and over this a cape of light green. There 
are small flowers sewed on her dress and her hair is long 
and flowing, bound by a green ribbon on which are sewed 
small pink and blue buds of flowers. She carries a long 
garland of pink flowers, which she uses in her dance. 

Summer, a small boy dressed in overalls. He wears a sun hat 
and sneakers. He trundles a wheelbarrow in which are gar¬ 
den tools. In the barrow is a strip of green cloth to be used as 
soft, dark silk mantle, large enough to cover a child who is 
lying down. 

Autumn, a girl in a long, red dress, with yellow leaves sewed 
upon it. She wears a wide brown cape. Her hair is braided 
and bound with a ribbon with yellow leaves sewed to it. 

Winter, a boy dressed in a brown suit, brown stockings and 
shoes. He wears a fur cap on his head and over his shoulder 
is a white cape of soft, woolly texture. In the pocket of his 
suit is a bag of Christmas snow-sparkle. 

Butterfly, or Papillon, a small child who has short hair. 
Under one dress, which may be quickly removed, he wears 

15 


16 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


another. The first dress is a gauzy yellow one with long 
winglike sleeves which can be made to flutter. Over this 
dress are tightly wrapped several strips of soft brown stuff. 
This goes about each arm, about each leg and foot, and about 
the child’s body The strips may be pinned with safety pins 
and unwound quickly when the grub becomes a butterfly. 

Time: Represents the change of the seasons. 

The Curtain Rises to Disclose: Mother Nature, at right 
center, bending over the Little Brown Grub, who lies 
curled up at her feet. Papillon is in his dress of 
brown windings. When he moves he keeps his feet 
together, using very short steps. 

Mother Nature. Awake, Little Brown Grub! It is 
springtime I Awake! The red buds on the maple have 
burst into leaf! [She touches Papillon and rouses 
him from his sleep.] 

Papillon [stirring]. What—what is it? [Stretching in 
a sleepy way.] What is it? 

Mother Nature. Awake! You must be ready to do 
my bidding! 

Papillon [slowly waking and sitting up]. Yes! I am 
awake! [Rising.] I am ready! 

Mother Nature. I have given you a wonderful gift, be¬ 
stowed with my waking touch: It is the power to 
grow and to change even as the flowers bloom, and 
then ripen into fruit. 

[moving and looking about]. Oh! Oh! [In a 
wondering manner.] See! I can crawl! What fun! 
[He moves very slowly about, going around Mother 
Nature.] How do I grow? 

Mother Nature. That is what you must learn. 

Papillon. What are the directions? 

Mother Nature. My bidding is that you go forth to 
meet the seasons. 

Papillon. Yes! Yes! I am ready. See, I move! [He 
continues to move about slowly, looking at the 
ground.] 


THE BUTTERFLY 


17 


Mother Nature. Yes! That is it, Little Brown Grub! 

Papillon. I feel very brisk! [Looking at himself.] 
See my nice brown dress! Oh, I am happy, very 
happy. 

Mother Nature. I have awakened you with a purpose. 
Y^ou are to go abroad over the earth and find the very, 
very precious gifts that the seasons will give you, and 
you are to use their gifts to help you grow. 

Papillon. To help me grow? 

Mother Nature. The seasons will teach you—and you 
must grow beautiful! Grow and grow beautiful! 

Papillon. But surely nothing is lovelier than I am 
now! Such a nice dress! And see how I can creep 
about! 

Mother Nature. You are a good little grub, but you 
must learn! You will learn as you grow. I can’t ex¬ 
plain it now. You are too young. Ask the Seasons 
as they pass. When you have learned what you can 
from them, come to me again! You have but to call. 
Just now I have other creatures of spring to awaken 
and I must open the blossoms, too. I must see that 
Spring does her work as she should. She wants to 
do nothing but dance! 

Exit Mother Nature, disappearing between the trees 
and shrubbery which she bends and touches as she 
passes. 

Papillon [bending down to the earth to feel it.] Oh, 
how good it feels! I wonder if this was something 
I was to learn about? I must speak to Spring about 
the gift and learn how to grow! [Calls.] Spring! 
Spring! 

Enter Spring. She dances on, swinging her garland of 
flowers. She does a lovely little dance, posing with 
the garland, all around Papillon, who tries in vain to 
touch her. 

Spring. See! 1 am here! Catch me before I am gone! 


18 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Papillon. Not yet! Wait a bit! Tell me—teach me— 
how shall I grow? What is the gift Mother Nature 
gave me? How can I grow—grow beautiful? [Look¬ 
ing at himself.] Am I not beautiful now? 

Spring [dancing in wider and wider circles away from 
him]. Look at the sky. See the sunlight! Doesn’t 
it tell you something lovely? Learn about it, Little 
Brown Grub. 

Papillon [looking from the earth up to the sky.] Ah, I 
had not noticed the sky. Yes, the sky is beautiful and 
the sun golden; I feel its warmth. I must be growing. 

Spring [dancing in a wide circle that carries her off the 
stage, left.] I can’t stay longer. I must go. 

Exit Spring. 

Enter Summer wheeling his barrow. He comes on from 
the right, with a fine air of hustle and activity. ' 

Summer. Hello! Hello! 

Papillon. Hello! You are—who are you? 

Summer. I’m Summer! Don’t you see my gardening 
things? I’ve got a lot of work to do! [He takes a hoe 
and begins to hoe a row.] Look out! Don’t get in 
my way! 

Papillon [moving slowly out of the way]. But there 
was something I had to ask you. I want to know how 
to grow. [He picks up a blossom Spring has let fall 
and begins to nibble at it.] 

Summer [working away]. Time goes so fast! I have 
so much to do! I have to help every bit of green to 
grow! 

Papillon [eagerly]. That’s just it! I want to know how 
to grow. I want to learn. 

Summer [putting the hoe back in the barrow]. Here, 
take this. [Tossing him the green mantle.] Some of 
my greenery. Work upon it. Little Brown Grub, learn 
about it. You will grow best through work! 


THE BUTTERFLY 


19 


Papillon [picking up the green mantle Summer has 
tossed to him.] What shall I do with it? 

Summer. I am in a hurry. You must find out for 
yourself. Work! Work! [Trundling the barrow 
off the stage, left.] I am gone. [Exit.] 

Papillon [looking over the green mantle Summer has 
given him.] What shall I do with this? I shall work 
over this as Summer bid me. [He sits down upon the 
earth and makes weaving motions over the cloth of 
green. He is so busy working that he fails to see 
Autumn, who comes from right of the stage, slowly 
approaching him from behind and then pinching his 
shoulder so that he starts,] 

Enter Autumn, right. 

Autumn [pinching Papillon’s shoulder]. Didn’t you 
know Autumn had come, Little Brown Grub, ugly 
Little Brown Grub? 

Papillon. I am busy with this mantle. Oh, you hurt 
me! Don’t do that again, please! 

Autumn. Hurry, then, and finish your work. 

Papillon. Have I grown any? 

Autumn. A little! Hurry! Finish your work! 

Papillon [working hurriedly]. I think I am larger than 
I was. But you didn’t see me at first, so maybe you 
can’t judge. Anyhow, I’ve learned about the earth, 
and the sky, and I know how to work. 

Autumn. But you must finish your work, now that 1 
have come! 

Papillon. I don’t know what Mother Nature wanted 
me to find out. I don’t know what it is yet. 

Autumn. Never mind! There’s no time left! 

Papillon [anxiously]. But I must! 

Autumn. That’s what all say. Everything says that to 
me. 


20 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Papillon [laying down the work]. How shall I finish 
my work? 

Autumn. I change green leaves to leaves of red and 
gold. You must change, too. You may turn into some¬ 
thing very lovely. Here, take this. [She gives him 
her brown mantle and wraps it around him,] and lie 
down to dream about it. A beautiful dream will come 
to you. It will show you what to do. 

Papillon [a 5 he lies down sleepily], I see the sky and 
the sunlight—the sky and the sunlight- 

Autumn. Close your eyes tight. Dream! Dream! 

Papillon [drowsily], I am very tired. I worked hard! 
[He sleeps,] 

Autumn passes from the stage, left. 

Enter Mother Nature from between the shrubs, where 
she left at Spring's coming. 

Mother Nature. He has done well! [Looking at the 
Little Brown Grub.] He has done well! He has 
grown. He has worked. 

Enter Winter, right. 

Winter. Look out! Here’s snow for you! Here are 
storms! [Throwing about the snow-glitter and puffing 
out his cheeks.] I’ll catch you! I’ll nip you! [He 
runs about the stage, touching the evergreens and 
shrubs and throwing the snow-glitter on them,] Look 
out! Hello! I say. [As he stumbles against the sleep¬ 
ing Little Grub covered with the brown mantle of Au¬ 
tumn.] Look out! 

Mother Nature [iz>arnz7i^/i/]. Take care. Winter! Here 
is a chrysalis! See you do no harm to it! 

Winter. A chrysalis! I will cover it with my warm 
white blanket so that it will be safe from storms and 
cold. See! [Very gently he lays his white mantle 


THE BUTTERFLY 


21 


over the Little Brown Grub and then passes out 
slowly, looking hack,] 

Mother Nature [bending over the Grub]. Dream! 
Dream! Dream of waking as the flowers! Dream 
of the sunlight of spring and of the blue of the sky. 
[To Winter.] Go! Go! Go on your way. 

Winter. I go! I go! [He passes from the stage, left.] 

Reenter Spring. She comes on carrying tall potted 
plants, running hack for more with little dancing steps. 
She arranges the plants so that they hide Papillon 
from the audience. When he is screened completely, 
he carefully unpins his wrappinggs of brown and 
throws aside Autumn’s cloak and Winter’s mantle, 
unseen by the audience. 

Spring [coming back with new and lovely plants]. See! 
Here I come, bringing new and more beautiful flow¬ 
ers! Lovelier! Lovelier! See! Here are more— 
and more—and more! They were never more lovely. 

Mother Nature. Never more lovely—^yet always bloom¬ 
ing anew! Always when you bring them, they seem 
more lovely than ever before. 

Spring. And more of them! [She puts plants down.] 

Mother Nature [bending over the Little Brown Grub, 
back of the flower screen]. Listen! He stirs in his 
sleep! There is a chrysalis here. Spring! 

Spring [bending over the flowers on the other side of 
them]. He is still dreaming. 

Mother Nature [to the Little Brown Grub.] Awake! 
Awake, Little Brown Grub. You have grown! You 
have worked! You have grown! You are a grub no 
longer! You have indeed, become beautiful, as beau¬ 
tiful as the flowers and the sunlight! You have found 
my most precious gift! 

Papillon [rising quickly and flinging wide his arms 
so that the golden winglike sleeves float wide]. I have 


22 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


found the gift! The gift! See! See, Mother Nature, 
wings, wings, wings! [Waving his wings and dancing 
around the flowers with Spring.] I no longer crawl 
about upon the earth! I have found your gift of new 
life! New life! See! Wings! Wings! Wings! Wings. 
[He dances a beautiful butterfly dance with Nature 
and Spring.] 


CURTAIN 


LITTLE GEORGE WASHINGTON’S 
VALENTINE 

CHARACTERS 

Little George Washington’s Mother in Colonial dress 
Little George Washington’s Father in Colonial dress 
Three Little Boys, playmates of Little George 
Little Martha, a playmate 
Little George Washington himself 
Page, a little girl or boy in modern dress 
All costumes are made after Colonial models. The 
children are dressed like their elders. Older boys or 
girls take the parents* parts in the play. 

Scene: A garden. The stage is arranged to represent 
an enctosed garden. To right and left are shrubs, a 
wheelbarrow and some potted plants. 

Time: When George Washington was small. 

The play opens with the Prologue recited by The Page, 
who enters from right and stands in front of Curtain. 
Page [recites Protogue]. 

It’s February now, you know, 

And Winter’s here, with ice and snow. 

To celebrate its holiday. 

We’re giving you this little play! 

Page bows. Exit. 

The Curtain Rises to Show: Little George playing with 
a hall, tossing it up high and catching it. At teft is his 
Father near the wheelbarrow, taking plants from it. 
He has a trowel in his hand. At right is a row of 
straight tree limbs so arranged as to stand like little 

23 


24 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


trees. These may be tree-twigs on which are fastened 
green paper leaves that are pointed like the leaves of 
the cherry tree. 

Little George [coming over toward his Father] . What 
art thou busy about now, father? 

Father. I have these to set out, little George. Do not 
hinder me. 

Little George [lingering]. Will they bloom soon, 
father? 

Father [taking plants toward front]. If thou art a good 
boy and doest thy share of caring for them, no doubt! 

Little George. May I help thee carry them ? 

Father. N ay, not now. When I have done, thou shalt 
get thy watering pot and sprinkle them for me. 

Little George. Now? 

Father. I would not have thee about my heels, little 
son. Run thou and play. 

Little George [fingering the plants in the harrow]. Aye! 
I go. [Starting to play with the ball again, stopping 
and coming back to his Father's side.] Father! 

Father [on his knees with the trowel in one hand and 
a plant in the other.] Hast thou not been taught to 
obey? 

Little George [going away and looking back at his 
Father], Aye, father. Yet I am no longer little. 
Soon I shall have another birthday. 

Father [smiling up at him and putting down the plant]. 
Even so, George. Thou art going to grow up a good 
boy, art thou not? No longer little! [Laughs.] I had 
forgot thou wast so big! 

Little George [playing with the ball]. ’Tis nearing St. 
Valentine’s Day, and my birthday is not far off! 

Father [absently]. Aye! [Busy over the plant.] 

Little George [ball is tossed over toward the cherry 
trees and drops by them]. Oh! Oh! [Runs over to 



GEORGE WASHINGTON’S VALENTINE 


25 


the cherry trees to find ball in the shrubbery back of 
them.] 

Father [standing up]. What are thou about there? 
Take care! Those are my young cherry trees, George! 
[Severely.] Come away! 

Little George. My ball! [Going in among the hushes 
and coming out with the ball.] See! 

Father [putting his hand on Little George’s shoulder]. 
Have I not told thee that thou shouldst not go near 
these? They are growing well. With one thought¬ 
less moment of play, thou mightst injure them. They 
are young, easily broken. [He looks over the cherry 
trees.] They grow apace. Be more careful. Little 
George, in thy ball play! 

Little George [being very good]. Aye, father! I will 
be good. [Goes over to the wheelbarrow and looks 
at the plants, taking from the harrow a hatchet.] 
May I play with this? 

Father [looking around to see what it is]. Nay, that 
is mine. It is sharp! 

Little George. Nevertheless I could take care. I do 
but want it to play at an Indian game. 

Father. Nay, nay! Now, put it down. 

Little George [puts it back] . Might I not have one like 
it for my birthday? 

Father [coming over to the barrow]. If thou wilt be 
a good lad, there is a little one that I will give thee. 
Only thou must be careful. 

Little George. Truly, I will be careful! [Hopping about 
his Father.] May I have it now? Do let me have it 
now! 

Father [laughing]. Canst thou not wait for thy birth¬ 
day? 

Little George. Oh, my birthday is so far off! ’Tis not 
yet St. Valentine’s Day, father! 


2i\ 


ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Enter George Washington’s Mother, right. She carries 
a hag on her arm. 

Mother. Father, art thou not coming with me? 

Father [turning and coming toward her]. I come! I 
come I Yet is not the work here done. Look, see how 
well my cherry trees grow, dear I 

Mother [looking about the garden and going over to the 
cherry trees] . They have grown well, surely! 

Father. Fine! 

Little George [following]. The little hatchet, father? 
May I have it? 

Father. Thou wilt find it upon the shelf in the wood- 
house. Remember, ’tis a birthday gift, even if thou 
dost get it before the day. 

Exit Little George, left, running. 

Mother. What was it, father? What did George want? 

Father. The little hatchet we bought for the lad. Dost 
thou not remember.? 

Mother. ’Twas a birthday gift and ’tis not yet the day. 

Father [laughingly]. Let the lad have his fun. We 
will find another birthday toy later. 

Mother, I trust he will be careful with the hatchet. He 
is but small yet. 

Father. Nay, not too small. He should know how to 
use a hatchet. ’Tis a useful thing as a toy. He grows 
fast and is a large lad for his age. 

Reenter Little George, left, carrying a small hatchet. 

Little George [running to his Mother]. See! Mother, 
see! Is this not fine! It will cut as well as the larger 
one of father’s! I have tried it in the woodhouse! 
[To Father.] May I chop wood with it here? 

Father. Touch nothing that thou mightest injure, lad! 

Mother. Do no harm, George! Hurt thyself in no way! 
Do not cut thy fingers! Remember, thou art a big lad! 


GEORGE WASHINGTON’S VALENTINE 


27 


Little George goes toward left, feeling of the hatchet 
blade. 

Little George. I will show it to the boys. I have 

them here to play while you are away? 

Mother. Go get little Martha. She is a good child. She 
is gentle in her play. Thy boy friends are too rough, 
George! 

Father. Nay! I will not have those boys playing about 
among my shrubs and plants. They would likely 
injure them. 

Little George. I like little Martha, yet I know she 
would not play with the hatchet with me. A maid ever 
wants to play simple games. 

Mother \_going right]. As we pass by her home I will 
ask that she come to play with thee. Be a good lad 
while we are away. 

Father. Do no mischief. [Going away with Mother.] 
Mother and Father go off, right. 

Little George [aloud to himself]. ’Tis a fine hatchet! 
I will take it in the wood and cut down trees. Aye, 
I know how to fell timber! I can do it! ’Tis a fine, 
sharp hatchet—a fine hatchet! [He goes toward the 
wheelbarrow and takes from it a garden stick, which 
he places on the ground and hacks at. It breaks.] 
Oh! So! That’s good! It works right well! Now 
will I try something else. Let me see! [Looks about.] 
What can I cut? [Sees cherry trees.] Aye, I could 
cut those. [Thoughtfully.] I could — I could, if I 
would! 

Enter from right, the little playmate, Martha, an old- 
fashioned little girl. 

Little Martha. My mother let me come to play with 
thee. 

Little George [coming toward her with the hatchet in 
his hand]. See! A birthday gift! 


28 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Little Martha. Thy birthday is yet a long way off! 

Little George. Aye! Yet was this given me. 

Little Martha. St. Valentine’s is to-morrow. 

Little George [ahsen%]. So? Yes, I remember. With 
this hatchet will I cut down a big tree and make thee 
a doll cradle from its timber. Wouldst like a cradle 
for thy doll? 

Little Martha. Have a care 1 Do not cut thyself! 

Little George [hacking at the harrow]. See how sharp 
it is! 

Little Martha. Have a care! Thy father would not 
like thee to do that! Come, let us play! 

Little George. I would rather try my hatchet. See! 

Enter Three Small Boys in Colonial dress. 

First Boy. Georgie! 

Second Boy. Come, play with us! 

Third Boy [seeing hatchet]. What hast thou? Let’s 
see! 


The Boys cluster about Little George. 

Little George. My father did give it me. - 

First Boy. Let me try it! 

All Boys [together]. Let me! 

First Boy [taking the hatchet], I could cut down a tree! 

Second Boy. And I! 

Third Boy. And I! 

Little George. There are none in our garden here, only 
little trees. 

Boys. Those! 

Little George. Nay, you must not touch them! 

Boys. Oh, the little cherry trees! One of them is quite 
tall! 

Little George. Give me my hatchet! I fear my father’s 
anger if you but touch any tree! Nay! Nay! [He takes 
the hatchet from the Boy,] 


GEORGE WASHINGTON’S VALENTINE 


29 


First Boy. Coward! 

Second Boy. Afraid to cut a little tree down. 

Third Boy. Georgie is a ’fraid cat! 

First Boy. I dare you! 

Second Boy. Gut it an’ you are no coward! 

Third Boy. Aye! Cut down the tallest of the trees! 
Let’s see thee do it! 

They look at him tauntingly. 

Little Martha. Nay, do not, Georgie! 

Little George. I am no coward! [To Little Martha.] 
Let go my sleeve! [To the Boys.] I am no coward! 
I will show you! [He gives the tree a blow and it falls 
over.] 

Little Martha. Oh, oh, Georgie! Alas! 

Boys [laughing at him]. Now you’ll get it! [Exit The 
Three Boys, calling in turn, “Thy father told thee not 
to!” 

Little George. Alas! [Crying.] 

Little Martha [putting her arm about him]. It was 
thy father’s tree! 

Little George. It will never grow again. 

Little Martha. Do not grieve. I will give thee my 
valentine! [Takes valentine from her pocket arid 
gives it.] 

Little George. I cannot help but think of that little 
tree! What will my father say? [Absently.] I thank 
thee! 

Enter George’s Father and Mother from right. - 

Mother [coming forward]. A valentine for thee, my 
little son! See, I have brought thee one to give to thy 
little friend. Hast been a good boy? 

Little George [looking at his Father and hanging his 
head.] Father! 0 Father! 

Father. What is it? What is it, son? [Seeing the 


30 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


fallen tree.] Didst thou do that? My little tree! 
Alas, my fine little tree! 

Little George. Father! Father! [Crying,] I cannot 
tell a lie. I did it with my little hatchet. 

Father. My son, thou art no coward! Thou hast told 
the truth: Thou couldst not tell a lie! I do forgive 
thee! [He puts his arms around Little George.] 
Mother. My brave lad! 

Little Martha. Only cowards lie! 

Little George. I never shall play with that hatchet 
more! 

Father. Mayhap that will be thy punishment, son! 
Little George. Alas, thy little tree! 

Mother. But thou wilt never do the like again! 

Little George. Never! 

Mother. Then run and play with thy little friend. Give 
her the valentine I gave thee! 

Little George [to Little Martha]. Aye! [Taking the 
valentine to her.] ’Tis for thee because I love thee: 
I cannot tell thee a lie—I love thee! 

[Hand in hand they dance a minuet before the curtain 
is drawn.] 


curtain 


WHEN THE BEANSTALK GREW 
AGAIN 


CHARACTERS 

Jack-of-the-BeanSTALK, now a goodly youth 

Jack’s Mother, a well-to-do woman 

Jack’s Servant, Tim, a slow-witted hoy 

The Little Brown Man, who was once enchanted by 
The Ogre 

Jack’s Mother’s Serving Maid, a peasant girl 

The Beanstalk Fairy 

Peasants 

Time: Ten years after Jack went up The Beanstalk 

Place : Jack’s Mother’s fine home 

The Curtain rises to Show: A living room in Jack’s 
Mother’s Fine House. There are two curtained win¬ 
dows at the rear of the stage. Between them stands a 
high, closed cupboard. There are easy chairs and a 
table. To right is a door leading into the house, while 
to the left is a door that goes out into the garden. 

As the curtain rises, it shows Jack, his head in his 
arms upon the table, sitting close to it. Tim, Jack’s 
servant, comes in through the garden door with a bas¬ 
ket of fruit and vegetables. As he comes in, he looks 
at Jack, who does not lift his head and remains mo¬ 
tionless. The clock on the cupboard shelf ticks. Tim 
crosses toward his master and puts a hand upon his 
shoulder. 

Tim. Master! 

Jack [listlessly, without moving]. Yes. 


31 


32 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Tim. Oh, Master, are you grieving again ? 

Jack. I— I was thinking. I cannot help thinking about 
it, Tim! Why, why did I ever cut down my beanstalk! 
I don’t see why I ever did a thing so foolish! 

Tim. But, Master, you were forced to do it: The Giant 
was after you; you had tried to steal his harp, you 
know! 

Jack. Yes, and I had stolen other things besides. Yet 
there I had the hatchet. Could I not have spared the 
beanstalk and yet killed the Giant when he climbed 
down? I could! But there is no adventuring up there 
again, now! It is a dull life to live in plenty. I would 
rather be poor and go adventuring! 

Tim. Say not so! To be downcast because of wealth! 
Would I might have wealth, I would not be as you are! 

Jack [sighing loudly]. Tim, I wish I might find more 
beans that were magic! 

Tim. a price for a cow! There are three cows in your 
fine dairy! A sale is a sale. Happen there might be 
other magic beans, if you sold another cow [eagerly]. 
Let me try. Master! I will take the red cow. 

Jack [jumping to his feet]. Aye, the red cow. Sell her 
for a hatful of beans. See what comes of it! Oh, Tim, 
would I could do it! But you know my mother! 

Tim [running to the door], I will seek the beans that are 
magic! [Exit at garden door. Jack, holding it open, 
looks after him longingly.] 

Enter Jack’s Mother from house door at right. 

Jack’s Mother. No, Jack, you promised not to go 
abroad! Why always wishing to go adventuring? 

Jack. I was only looking out of the door. Mother! 

.Tack’s Mother. That is right. But come, the little 
serving maid has gone to market. Help me put away 
the things Tim has brought in this basket! 


WHEN THE BEANSTALK GREW AGAIN 33 


Jack [goes over to the basket and begins to put the vege¬ 
tables on cupboard shelves]. Beans! Beans! [He 
seizes a handful and holds them ecstatically.] Beans, 
Oh! These might be magic! 

Jack’s Mother [in a matter-of-fact voice]. Not at all 
magic, my son! They were picked in our own kitchen 
garden! We will have them for supper! 

Jack. I must try planting them! No knowing! They 
might have been seeds on my beanstalk. Who knows? 

Jack’s Mother. Jack! I have asked you never to men¬ 
tion the unhappy beanstalk again. 

Jack. Yes— yes! You are afraid Til go adventuring 
to the strange land again and meet with misadven¬ 
ture. Alas! And so I stay, wasting my youth in this 
house. Did not my adventuring give us this home and 
our wealth? 

Jack’s Mother. Oh, have done. Jack, my lad! Now, 
were you indeed to have a beanstalk again, what 
would you gain by it? Why quest up it again? What 
would there be ? 

Jack [sitting down to the table again, head in hands]. 
I know not. Everything! 

Jack’s Mother. Then don’t talk any more about it! 
[She puts dishes on a tray and carries them away.] 

Enter Tim, through garden door, dancing, waving his 
cap. 

Tim. Master! The butcher bought the red cow for 
three beans! Here they are! 

Jack [jumping up]. Let me have them! Are they 
colored? My beanstalk beans were of varied colors! 

Tim [disappointed]. Why did you not tell me to sell 
only for colored beans? I will sell the black cow. 
Let me try! I will try again! 


34 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Exit Tim. 

Jack [alone, puts hand into his pocket and takes out the 
beans he has kept from the basket]. They might be 
right. I will try them. [Starts toward garden door,] 

Enter Jack’s Mother from right. 

Jack’s Mother. Garry the basket into the kitchen for 
me, son. There! 

Jack [obediently]. Yes, Mother! [Goes out, right, fol¬ 
lowed by Mother.] 

Enter from garden Little Maid. 

Little Maid. The silly boy! And I saw him myself sell 
our good red cow for three everyday beans! I must 
tell my mistress as soon as she comes. [Excitedly,] 
And now, again, I have met him with the black cow! 
I suppose he will be striking a bargain for her. [Runs 
toward right and into Jack.] Oh dear! Oh dear! 
Excuse me. Sir! I was just going to tell my mistress 
what Tim has been doing! 

Jack. But I told him he might! Are they not my cows? 

Little Maid. Yes, Sir! Excuse me. Sir! 

Jack [meaningly]. The less said the better! 

Little Maid [hastening out of the door, right]. Yes, Sir! 

Exit Little Maid. 

Jack [takes beans from pocket again and looks at them]. 
These look like my Beanstalk Beans! They might be! 

Enter Tim, running. He holds up an empty cap, and 
waves it at Jack. 

Tim. Master! Master! The butcher said I was a fool 
to sell the black cow and he would not strike a bar¬ 
gain, so I tried the market man. While I was seeking 
him, I ran upon a Little Brown Man! 

Jack. A Little Brown Man! 


WHEN THE BEANSTALK GREW AGAIN 35 


Tim. Here he is! Here he is, Master! 

Enter Little Brown Man from door, left, while Tim 
pushes Jack toward him, eagerly. 

Little Brown Man. I must have both white cow and 
black cow too, now! And hold the cap for the beans! 

Jack. Are they magic beans? 

Tim. Take them. Master! Try them! 

Jack. Are they magic beans? Is it a fair bargain? 

Little Brown Man. No! No! It is not a fair bargain. 
I should ask for more. I ask that when your bean¬ 
stalk comes you take me there with you—you let me 
go up it first! 

Jack [excitedly]. No! No! I will do nothing of the 
sort! 

Tim [echoing]. Nothing of the sort! 

Little Brown Man. Then you will not find the Prin¬ 
cess! It was the Princess of the Beanstalk you were 
seeking, was it not? 

Jack [with interest]. Is there a Princess indeed up 
there? I never met her, it was only the Fairy I knew. 

Little Brown Man [sadly]. Then you will not make 
the bargain and get the Princess. She was enchanted 
long ago. You might have the adventure of delivering 
her! 

Jack [thinking]. Well, well! A bargain is a bargain. 
Give me your capful of beans, my man, and you shall 
go first up the new beanstalk, if you will! 

Little Brown Man. And we shake hands upon it and 
seal the bargain! 

Tim [standing by]. And I for witness! 

.Tack [giving Tim the hatful of beans]. Plant them! 
We will watch you from the window. The Little 
Brown Man will wait. [To himself.] Yes, these must 
be the right magic beans! They look as mine did long 
ago! [He takes the basket beans from his pocket and 


36 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


puts them in the cupboard.] No need of everyday 
good-for-nothing garden beans now! I know the dif¬ 
ference! Wait! 

Little Brown Man. Tim has planted them. Watch! 

Jack [leaning out of the window]. Oh, oh! Do you 
not see a green shoot coming from the ground? 

Little Brown Man. Yes, yes! [Leans out of the win¬ 
dow so that his back shows only his long brown cape.] 

Jack. Tim! Tim! See! 

Little Brown Man [getting down from the chair so that 
his long brown cloak falls in folds around him to the 
floor]. Your beanstalk. Sir! Now, I go up it first, 
according to the bargain! 

2[dancing about joyously]. Oh! Oh! But I prom¬ 
ised my mother! Alas! 

Enter Jack's Mother, followed by Little Maid. 

Jack's Mother. Now, now! And what is this! [Look¬ 
ing out at window, astonished.] Another beanstalk! 
Jack! Jack! 

Jack [pleads]. Oh, Mother, let me go! Let me go! 

Jack's Mother. Then I go too. 

Jack. First goes the Little Brown Man. It was our bar¬ 
gain! 

Little Brown Man [eagerly]. Yes! Yes! I go first! 
I go first! [Dancing about.] 

Jack. Go then! I wait here! 

Little Brown Man [catches Jack's hand and his cape 
falls from him to reveal a beautiful Princess]. You 
have broken the enchantment, Jack. I was only a 
Little Brown Man till you came—till some one should 
plant a new beanstalk with my magic beans and 
break the spell by letting me go up it ahead of him ! 
[She laughs.] 

Jack. Oh, my Princess! Now we will go adventuring 
together to the Beanstalk Land! 


WHEN THE BEANSTALK GREW AGAIN 37 


Jack’s Mother [laughing]. And since you do not go 
alone, Jack, and have so good a companion, I will 
stay here to wait your home-coming! 

Little Maid. And I wall marry Tim. We will be mar¬ 
ried before we go. I will go with Tim, too! 

Tim [coming in]. A fine beanstalk. Master! Better 
than the first. And no ugly giant to come down it! 

Enter Beanstalk Fairy from garden door, holding out 
her wand. 

Beanstalk Fairy. I was waiting to come down! I 
waited a long time for Jack to find new beans. But at 
last! And now, if you will all but mount the magic 
beanstalk, there is a wedding feast waiting, and a 
palace and happiness and adventure, for you all! 

Jack takes the hand of his Princess, who takes Jack’s 
Mother’s hands. The Little Maid joins hers to that of 
her Mistress upon one side. Tim takes her arm on 
the other and the Beanstalk Fairy waves her wand. 
There is music to which they dance, then, leading the 
way, as the curtain falls, they dance out of the door 
toward the garden singing. 

All [5^(7]. The magic, magic beanstalk 
Grows in our garden now. 

The magic, magic beanstalk. 

It has come back, somehow! 

Up, up the beanstalk 
All of us will go, 

And live forever happy 

In the land that’s there, you know! 


THE EASTER BONNET 


CHARACTERS 


Tomty I 
Toodles J 


Little hoys 

Nicky’s Mother \ 
Nicky’s Aunt \ 


Nicky 

Bobbet 


I Little girls 


Older girls 


Scene: The action takes place in a backyard where 
there is a strip of fence and a wheelbarrow, a pile of 
sand and some potted plants. 

The Curtain Rises to Show: Tomty, in overalls, trowel 
in hand. He is whistling a tune. He stoops and ar¬ 
ranges the potted plants in a row as if to make a gar¬ 
den bed. 

Enter, left, Nicky. She stands, handkerchief to nose, 
dejectedly looking at Tomty. He goes on with his 
work, but finally stops and looks around at her. 

Tomty. Hello! 

Nicky [without spirit]. Hello! 

Tomty [happily]. See what my garden’s going to be! 

Nicky. Not much! [Crossly]. 

Tomty. Not much of a garden! 

Nicky. No. 

Tomty [going over to where Nicky stands]. Say, what’s 
the matter with you? 

Nicky [crossly]. Nothing! 

Tomty. What’re you holding that handkerchief so for? 
Got a toothache? 

Nicky [kicking the dirt with her toe]. No. No! It isn’t 
a toothache! 

Tomty. What is it? 


38 


THE EASTER BONNET 


39 


Nicky. A bonnet! 

Tomty. a bonnet? 

Nicky. Yes, it’s a bonnet—a bonnet that’s got strings 
hanging on it. Only old ladies an’ little babies wear 
strings! Auntie gave it to me and Mother says I’ve 
got to wear it for best all spring! 

Tomty. A fine new bonnet! Why, I thought girls liked 
tohave’m! Don’t you? 

Nicky [going into the yard where Tomty is]. No. Not 
with strings! 

Tomty. Strings? 

Nicky. I mean ribbons. 

Tomty. I should think it would be pretty with ribbons! 
Let’s see it? 

Nicky. It’s upstairs. I’m afraid I can’t get it without 
being seen. 

Tomty. Oh, go along. I want to see it. Maybe it is 
pretty and you don’t know enough to know it! 

Nicky [hesitating]. Well, I’ll get it. I suppose 1 can 
get it. 

Exit Nicky left, 

Tomty [returning to his plants], Boys can’t wear Easter 
hats—^just girls and ladies. Funny she doesn’t like it! 
[He whistles,] 

Enter rights Toodles, running, 

Toodles. Oh, I say! Got your garden started? 1 just 
got some seeds for mine. 

Tomty. Would you put this plant here, or here? [He 
holds the plant toward Toodles.] 

Toodles. There—that’s best. That’s fine! 

Reenter Nicky, left. She carries a big paper bag such 
as hats come in, 

Nicky. Tomty! I’ve got it! 

Toodles. Got what? 


40 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Tomty. Her Easter hat she’s going to show me. Let’s 
see it! Come in here. 

Nicky. Here! [Contemptuously.] Look at it! [She 
opens the bag.] 

Tomty and TOODLES [peeping inside]. Oh! Oh! 

Nicky. Isn’t it dreadful! 

Tomty. Why—why—I like it! It’s pretty! 

Toodles. It’s great! Awfully stylish! 

Nicky [stamping her foot]. That’s all boys know about 
it! It is horrid! Whoever heard of wearing a bonnet 
with strings? They tie under your chin like an old 
lady’s! 

Tomty [taking up trowel and going to the sandpile]. 
Well, I like it. [To Toodles.] We’ll have to cart this 
sand away. 

Toodles [putting hand into the bag and taking out a hat 
with ribbon ties] . Put it on. Let’s see it on you! 

Nicky. No! No! No! I’ll never wear it I 

Tomty [ turning]. But you’ve got to! It’s your Easter 
bonnet! [Laughs.] And it’s a nice one, too. 

Nicky [begins to cry] . I wish— I wish— I wish I didn't. 

Toodles. Well, if you don’t want to wear it, I tell you 
what. 

Nicky [quickly]. What? 

Toodles [laughing]. Bury it! 

Nicky. Bury it? How? 

Toodles. Right here in the sandpile! Then you won’t 
have to wear it! 

Tomty. Here, I’ll do it for you. 

Nicky. All right. [Looking about] They won’t find 
it! 

Tomty [covering the bonnet]. Nobody’ll know it’s here. 
See! 

Nicky [standing before the sandpile]. Weren’t you go¬ 
ing to cart the sand away? 


THE EASTER BONNET 


41 


Tomty. We won’t do that now. We’ll leave it. The 
bonnet is all buried deep, anyhow. It’ll stay. 

Enter, right, Bobbet, a fashionably dressed little girl 
She wears a bonnet similar to Nicky’s discarded one 
and carries a doll in her arms. 

Bobbet. Oh, Nicky, I’ve come to play with you. See 
my beautiful new Easter hat that Mother bought in 
the city! She let me wear it to show you! Isn’t it 
lovely? [She poses before Nicky, wagging her head 
in attitudes.] 

Nicky [astonished]. Why—why—why! 

Bobbet. What’s the matter? 

Tomty and Toodles. Oh! Oh! [Looking at Nicky.] 
Shall we tell? 

Nicky [to Bobbet]. You really think it’s stylish? 

Tomty and Toodles. Gan we tell? Let us tell! 

Nicky. You think it’s not the sort old ladies wear? It 
ties under one’s chin. Is it really nice? 

Bobbet. Nice! Of course it’s nice! Would I wear an 
Easter bonnet that wasn’t nice? Don’t you like it? 

Nicky [gazing hard at it]. Why— why— why— 

Tomty and Toodles. Let’s tell her! 

Nicky. Well— 

Toodles. It’s exactly like one Nicky’s Aunt gave her 
and she wouldn’t wear it. 

Tomty. An’ we buried it for her so she wouldn’t have 
to wear it! 

Bobbet [horror-stricken]. You buried a beautiful hat 
just like this! Oh, Nicky! Where is it? 

Nicky [pointing to the sgndpile]. There! 

Tomty [digging]. I’ll get it back. 

Toodles. There! There it is! See! 

Tomty [unearthing the bonnet]. I call it lovely! 

Toodles. So do I! 

Bobbet. It isn’t hurt, is it? I’ll put it on Nicky’s head! 


42 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


[She puts on the bonnet and ties the strings.] So be¬ 
coming! So stylish! 

Nicky. Funny! 

Bobbet. What’s funny? 

Nicky. Why, I’ve changed. I like the Easter er—er— 
hat! I guess it’s because you’ve got one just like it. 
Maybe it is the style! 

Bobbet. Of course it is! 

Voices, left, calling, “Nicky! Nicky!” 

Enter Mother and Auntie. 

Mother. Oh, here you are! 

Auntie. Showing your new Easter hat? [She smiles 
and then laughs.] It is lovely, isn’t it children? And 
just like Bobbet’s! How odd! 

Nicky. Well, I didn’t like it at first—but I do now! 

Bobbet. You do now! 

Nicky. Um-hum! [Contentedly.] 

Mother. Isn’t there a speck of dirt on the bonnet? 

Toodles [quickly]. Oh no! No, I’m sure not! I don’t 
think so! 

Nicky. Oh, I think it’s all right. 

Exit Mother and Auntie, followed by Bobbet and Nicky. 

Tomty [to Toodles]. There! The plants go this way! 
Who ever said girls didn’t like Easter hats? 


WE BELIEVE IN FAIRIES 


An Outdoor Pageant 

Time: Nowadays Scene: A Fairy Ring 

CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES 

Fairy Queen, gauzy dress, scepter, crown, wings. 

Dryad and Naiad, nature sprites in green. 

Scandinavian Elves, spirits of mirth and good nature. 

Fees and Lutins, spirits of loveliness and beauty. 

Teutonic Fairy Folk. 

The Dwarf, The Troll, The Wee Man, expressing friendship, 
helpfulness, kindness. 

The Fairy Godmother, a dear old lady like Mother Goose, with 
cape and staff, who takes an affectionate interest in children’s 
welfare. 

Billy, a boy; Betty, a girl—two modern children. 

Other groups of fairies are seated about the Fairy Ring as the 
action begins. It should be centered, against a background 
of foliage. 

Music: Phonograph records of '^Midsummer NighVs Dream"' 
and special music for the dances. 

The pageant starts with soft music. The Fairies gather 
for a convention. The Fairy Godmother, heading the 
Reception Committee, greets them softly in panto¬ 
mime. From the shrubbery come the voices of A Boy 
and A Girl, high and clear. 

Girl. Why shouldn’t there be fairies? 

Boy. Because there aren’t any. They aren’t real! 

Girl. But I like to think they are real! Sometimes I 
almost think I see them, in lovely places in woods 
or by streams. The Greeks used to think the woods 
and fields were full of nymphs and naiads. They 
lived in the trees and by brooks. Don’t you think the 
woods seem to be full of them? 


43 


44 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Boy. That was a myth. We had those Greek stories in 
school. 

Girl. And the Northern fairies, you know. What do 
they call them?—elves and goblins. They lived in 
rocky places in mountains! When I see lovely wild 
mountain places, I almost think 1 see elves! 

Boy. Me too; but it’s just folk lore! 

Girl. Then there are tlie French fairies—fees and lu- 
tins. The stories about them are beautiful. I like 
beautiful things. Don’t you want to believe in fairies? 

Boy. Yes. I like the dwarfs, the trolls, the wee folk 
of Teutonic fairy stories. They are always doing 
nice things for everybody. 

Girl [coming suddenly into view of the Fairy Ring], 
Oh! Oh! Look! I told you! Sh-h! Be careful! 
Don’t frighten them! Don’t frighten them away by 
not believing! [She draws Billy hack,] 

Boy. No! Let’s see them! 

Fairy Godmother [catches sight of the two and ad¬ 
vances], Oh, Billy! Why, Betty! Won’t you come 
to our convention? It’s just starting. The Fairies 
from Everywhere have gathered to show that they 
are really true! We have met to show what we stand 
for. Do come! You believe in fairies, don’t you! 

Boy. Why—Why—I always thought fairies were myth 
and folk lore. 

Fairy Godmother. But they are more, they are real. 
You see what they stand for every day. Come! You 
will see. Sit here. [She seats them,] 

Queen [rising]. We are met here today to show what 
fairies stand for. They stand for many things that 
are really true. They stand first for nature lore and 
express the charm of woodland and brook and pool. 
Let me call a wood nymph first to show how she does 
this. [Beckons to a Nymph.] 


WE BELIEVE IN FAIRIES 


45 


Nymph [comes forward with branches of trees in her 
hands and dances a lovely interpretative dance]. 

Queen. See! Is not this the real spirit of the woods? 
[She looks to the Boy and Girl, who nod. The rest 
agree.] Now, I will call Naiad, spirit of streams and 
pools. [Beckons with wand.] 

Naiad [comes forward with lovely, measured dance steps 
that suggests the laughter of brooks. Her drapery is 
long anl flowing, soft, silvery. She dances. She re¬ 
tires.] 

Queen. Now, Elves! 

Elves [romping forward in gay, tumbling mood]. Here 
we come! Look at our fun! Eh! Look at this! And 
this! [They turn somersaults. They play leapfrog. 
They cut capers and execute a merry folk dance,] 
Wasn’t that good? Did you like that? That’s what 
we stand for— Fun! Eh! [Exeunt.] 

Queen [calls after them]. Very good, Elves! [Waves 
wand toward the Fees and Lutins.] Now! Fees! 
Show us your loveliness and the joy of beauty! 

Fees and Lutins [coming forward]. We are the sym¬ 
bols of Truth and Beauty. We are Happiness! We 
are Joy! We live in flowers! We work magic beauty! 
[They dance an interpretative dance with golden bal¬ 
loons and rose-colored flowers. They retire,] 

Queen. Thank you, Fees! You might dance all night 
in my Fairy Ring! But we must have the next! Wee 
Folk, come here! 

Wee Folk. Here we come, bringing gifts! [With arm¬ 
fuls of bags of gold, boxes labeled Treasure, Purses of 
Gold, Magic Boots, and other magic gifts, they come 
forward to slow music, place gifts before the Queen 
solemnly, execute a slow-measured folk dance and 
retire.] 

Queen. So we have seen some of the things that Fairies 
stand for in the world. I put it to the children: Are 


46 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Fairies true? Is nature lore true? Is Mirth and good 
nature real? Is Truth, is Beauty a living thing? Are 
Kindness, Helpfulness, Generosity true? 

Fairy Godmother. Why, of course it is all true! 

Boy. Why, of course! 

Girl. Of course. Fairies are true! 


All Fairies 

Children 

Queen 

Fairy Godmother 


[together]. 


F a i r i e s are real; 
N ature lore is true; 
Fairies are Fun; 
Fairies are Loveli¬ 


ness personified; Fairies are Kindness and Friend¬ 
ship in disguise! Fairies and what they stand for— 
they are real! 


All join hands in a lovely fairy dance with suitable 
music. 


CURTAIN 



THE MAKING OF A FLAG 

A Patriotic Dialogue 

Scene : A small garden. 

Time; Summer time in the year 1776. 

CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES 

Betsy Ross, who made the American flag. She wears a Colonial 
dress with full gathered skirt, fitted bodice with kerchief. Her 
hair is done up upon her head and powdered. 

The Little Maid, a girl who is also in Colonial dress. 

The Little Lad, a boy in straight trousers, short jacket and 
frilled blouse of Colonial period. 

Columbus, Indians, Puritans, Boys and Girls (Puritan), Brit¬ 
ish Red Coats, (^ivil War Group (Blue and Gray), (Colored 
Children, Spanish War Soldiers, Boy Scouts, Boys, in mod¬ 
ern soldier dress. The other characters of the pantomime 
should be dressed in characteristic costumes which may be 
simplified copies of historic pictures. 

Liberty and Justice wear costumes suggested by pictures. 
Liberty bears a torch, and Justice a pair of scales. 

The Curtain is drawn showing Betsy Ross seated upon 
the bench, sewing. On the garden table near her is 
red, white and blue bunting. There is a large work- 
basket filled with spools, scissors and other sewing 
necessities. Little Lad is seated near a hush, front, 
with pebbles arranged in a square before him. 

Little Lad. See! There is the fortress! ’Tis not a very 
good one. I could make a better, no doubt, if I had 
wood and tools. [Pushing aside the stones.] Play 
with me. Friend Betsy! [He rises and goes over to the 
bench, sits down at her feet and looks up at her, as she 
continues sewing.] 

Betsy Ross. Nay, Little Lad, I cannot stop to play. 
If thou art good, thou canst stay here in my garden 
with me; I like to have thee. 


47 


48 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Little Lad. Aye, I know. Thou art all alone, too. My 
mother told me. ’Tis a pity that thy husband died 
and left thee. What was his trade? 

Betsy Ross. He did upholster work. War-time doth 
stop such work. 

Little Lad [sympathetically]. Art thou poor, then. 
Friend Betsy? 

Betsy Ross [looking up]. I do much needlework, as 
thou seest. 

Little Lad. Thou art ever busy with thy needle! Mak¬ 
es! another flag now? Tell me about it. ' 

Betsy Ross. ’Tis another such flag as General Wash¬ 
ington did ask me to make. 

Little Lad. Oh, tell me about him! Would that I had 
seen him. 

Betsy Ross [sewing with bent head]. He came with 
George Ross, my husband’s uncle. ’Twas some months 
ago that I made for them a flag like this one. [Re¬ 
threading a needle,] General Washington did come 
with mine uncle and Robert Morris to see if I would 
make them a flag such as they desired. 

Little Lad [interrupting eagerly]. Think of making a 
flag for General Washington! Would I could do 
needlework like thee! Yet lads do not do needlework 1 
Thou art well known for thy fine sewing, art thou not. 
Friend Betsy? 

Betsy Ross [nodding], I was telling thee. Dost care 
to hear the story? I thought I had told it to thee 
already. 

Little Lad. Nay! I have not heard it from thee. My 
mother did tell me when we moved here to Philadel¬ 
phia thou madest a flag for the colonies. Tell me 
the story. [He bends toward her and looks up at her 
earnestly,] 

Betsy Ross [looking for scissors] Where have I laid 
my scissors? Are they in my basket? 


THE MAKING OF A FLAG 


49 


Little Lad [rises to bring her the basket, then stands 
with it beside her]. So many bobbins as thou hast 
[Spilling the contents of the workbasket.] Alas, what 
have I done! Here are thy scissors, Mistress Ross! 
[Handing them and picking up the other things to put 
back into the basket.] 

Betsy Ross [snipping with scissors]. Have a care! 
Loose not my bobbins! 

Little Lad. I have them all. Art thou not going to 
tell me the story? 

Enter from right Little Maid. She comes shyly in and 
drops a curtsy. 

Little Maid. I give thee greeting. Mistress Ross! May 
I come to visit thee, too ? I have brought with me my 
stint, the sampler which I am working. I thought 
thou wouldst help me with the new stitch, mayhap. 
Would that I could sew as well as thou. What is it 
that thou hast in thy hands? Another flag? 

Betsy Ross. Another flag. 

Little Maid [bending over the side of the bench]. Canst 
thou show it to me? Is it like the one that General 
Washington asked thee to make? 

Betsy Ross. The very same. [Holding up the work.] 
See, there are thirteen red and white stripes and a 
blue field with thirteen stars. 

Little Lad [bending over the bench on the other side]. 
What means it? 

Little Maid. Has it a meaning? [With fingers passing 
over the flag, as Betsy Ross holds if.] Aye, thirteen 
stars! Why thirteen? 

Betsy Ross. They are for our thirteen colonies. When 
first General Washington used a flag in Cambridge, 
it had in one comer, where are now the stars on the 
blue field, the British ensign in place of these. 

Little Lad. And now that we fight the British, we 


50 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


have done with their emblem. So have we the thir¬ 
teen stars. 

Betsy Ross. Aye, Little Lad! 

Little Lad. Would that I might fight like my father 
under General Washington! 

Little Maid [sighing]. And I! 

Betsy Ross [sewing] . The stripes mean much too, no 
doubt? 

Little Lad. The thirteen colonies. 

Betsy Ross. Nay, more than that, though indeed that 
is true. The color of them means much. 

Little Maid [sitting down on one side of the bench 
beside Betsy]. Red meaneth courage: my mother 
told me so. It is the color of the heart’s blood. 

Little Lad [fingering the white stripe that falls from 
the lap of Betsy Ross]. The white for purity and 
truth, perchance ? 

Betsy Ross. Even so: the emblems of honor. 

Little Lad. Gladly would I give my heart’s blood and 
mine honor to fight under General Washington for 
freedom! Would that I might fight under thy flag! 
[Remembering.] Thou wast going to tell me its story. 
[Settling himself beside the table, where he places the 
work basket again.] 

Betsy Ross [pretending to think and tapping her thim¬ 
ble on her forehead]. Let me see. 

Little Maid. Wouldst thou let me sew on thy fiag? 
Just one stitch or two! I am so small, [laughing] 
I would yet like to say that I had sewed upon a flag. 
Will they use thy flag when they fight? 

Betsy Ross. Perchance! 

Little Maid. Then might I think that I had done a small 
thing to help. 

Betsy Ross. Some day I will help thee make thyself 
a flag when thou hast learned to master all thy 
stitches. 


THE MAKING OF A FLAG 


51 


Children. But tell us the story! We will no longer 
interrupt thee! 

Betsy Ross [sewing] . It was one day in the spring this 
year that I was busy in my husband’s upholstery shop. 
There came a knock at my door and there entered our 
Uncle George Ross, who was my husband’s uncle. 
With him was General Washington himself and Rob¬ 
ert Morris. 

Little Lad [interrupting]. What manner of man was 
General Washington? 

Betsy Ross [reprovinglg]. A fine looking man, even as 
thou wilt be, when thou growest tall and dost no 
longer interrupt the telling of stories. 

Little Lad. I ask thy pardon. 

Betsy Ross. Thou didst not mean to be rude. 

Little Maid [eagerly]. The story. Mistress Ross! He 
shall not stop thee again! 

Betsy Ross. They brought with them a sketch of such 
a flag as they desired. [Stopping a moment.] Wait, 
let me see. If thou [to Little Maid] wilt go into the 
house, thou wilt find a sketch in the oaken chest near 
the window. It lies there for safe keeping. Go get it. 

Little Maid rises and goes off left. 

Little Lad. Why asked they thee to make the flag? 
Because thou wast so well known for thy fine needle¬ 
work—was it not so? Did not thine Uncle tell them? 

Betsy Ross. Little Lad, even so I 

Reenter Little Maid, left. 

Little Maid. Is this it? [Unrolling a small scroll.] It 
is like thy flag, yet the stars on this have six points. 

Betsy Ross. I did change this. They did think the five- 
pointed star would be too hard to make. [Laughing 
softly.] ’Tis no harder than the other. I showed them 
with my scissors how simple it would be to make the 


52 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


stars thus and General Washington said that I was 
right when I said in heraldry there was the five- 
pointed star, never the six. 

Little Lad [forgetting and interrupting again, wiggling 
as if to shake himself]. Why? Oh, I had forgotten. 
I meant not to interrupt! 

Betsy Ross. I know not. Yet is it so: On General 
Washington’s own coat-of-arms is it so, he said. The 
crest is one of three stripes and three five-pointed 
stars. Upon his coat-of-arms is the motto Exitus Acta 
Prohat. 

Little Lad [again interrupting, forgetting]. Is it Latin? 

Little Maid [learnedly]. Aye, Latin. 

Betsy Ross. It meaneth, “The event justifieth the deed.” 

Little Lad. Even so as we could break away from 
Britain, our mother country, because of unjust taxa¬ 
tion. 

Betsy Ross. Even so. 

Little Lad [interrupting], I would not be too young 
to be a drummer boy. Then might I be with those 
who fight under thy flag. I would give my life for it. 

Little Maid. I love thy flag. 

Betsy Ross. And 1. I honor it as the emblem of all that 
it meaneth to us: Liberty, the emblem of our nation’s 
honor, the unity of our colonies into one nation, one 
and indivisible, whose warfare is ever just and true 
for the defense of its ideals. 

Here, to the music of **The Red, White and Blue,” 
a pantomime passes across the stage from the en¬ 
trance, left, around the hack of the stage and out at the 
right, while Betsy Ross holds her flag up and the 
children stand holding its lower corners. 

First comes Columbus. He is followed by his men, 

dressed in manner suggested by pictures in school his¬ 
tories. He holds in his hand a globe. 


THE MAKING OF A FLAG 


53 


Following this company comes a group of Indians 
who look back at the Puritans, a little band of girls and 
boys in Puritan costume, who move slowly across the 
stage. 

Then follow a number of British Red Goats and a 
group of “Minute Men” similar to that shown in “The 
Spirit of 1776.” 

Liberty and Justice follow. They drop from the pro¬ 
cession and place themselves on either side of the 
Betsy Ross group. 

The next to come is a Civil War group, the Blue and 
the Gray. Little colored children follow. 

Then come Soldiers dressed like ours of the Spanish 
War, followed by Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and boys 
dressed in our modern soldier dress. Last comes our 
present flag with Standard Bearer. 

These all pass off the stage and the music, which has 
been patriotic throughout the passing pageant, starts 
up with our National Air. Betsy Ross holds the flag 
and, with the closing verse, Liberty comes forward to 
read from her scroll the Declaration of Independence, 
which Justice holds for her. 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 


Mother Goose 
Dr. Foster 
Simple Simon 
Georgie Porgie 
Tommy Tucker 
Jack Horner 
Boy Blue 


CHARACTERS 

Polly Flinders 
Lucy Locket 
B o Peep 
Miss Muffet 

Mary Who Had A Little Lamb 
Mary Who Had A Garden 
The Ten O’Glock Scholar 


Time: School time in Mother Goose Schoolhouse 
Scene: A schoolroom in Mother Goose Schoolhouse 
There is a desk at right and there are benches to left of 
the stage. Near the desk is a tall stool for the Dunce. 
There is also a low stool with a water bucket on it, at 
right. A dipper is placed in this. 


COSTUMES 

Mother Goose, the usual tight bodice and full skirt with white 
frilled cap. 

Dr. Foster, school visitor, long trousers and black coat with 
long tails. He carries a large bag. 

Simple Simon, a dunce, a large boy, long trousers and short 
jacket, with frill about the neck. He wears a peaked cap on 
which is written “Dunce.” 

Georgie Porgie, a naughty boy, a plump little fellow in a David 
Copperfield suit. 

Tommy Tucker, Jack Horner, Boy Blue, boys in Mother Goose 
costumes. 

Polly Flinders, Lucy Locket, Mary Who Had A Little Lamb, 
Mary Who Had A Garden, Bo Peep, Miss Muffet, girls in 
Mother Goose dresses. 

The Ten O’Clock Scholar, a small boy in ragged clothes with 
small fishing rod. 

The Curtain Rises to Show: Mother Goose standing in 
front of the bench where the children, except Ten 

54 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 


55 


O’CLOCK Scholar, are seated. Simple Simon on the 
dunce stool is yawning. 

Mother Goose [looking over the class with care]. No¬ 
body absent today except our Ten O’Clock Scholar? 
[In satirical tone.] No doubt he will appear at the 
usual time, with a note from his mother asking me 
to excuse him. Now, today there is a fine surprise for 
you, children! I want you all to do your level best, re¬ 
member! [Pauses emphatically]. Dr. Foster, our 
school visitor, is coming here to examine your scholar¬ 
ship ! 

Simple Simon [in a long drawl]. Will he ask me any¬ 
thing please? 

Mother Goose [turning upon him]. Certainly! Cer¬ 
tainly! And you ought to be ashamed to be sitting 
on the dunce-stool. Simple Simon, you ought! 

Outside is heard a long “ba-a.” 

Mary Who Had A Lamb [jumpinq up and waving her 
hand]. Oh! Oh! 

Mother Goose. Sit right down! Sit right down! 

Mary Who Had A Lamb. Teacher! 

Mother Goose. No, Mary! No! Let the lamb stay 
where it is! 

A knock at the door, very loud and important. 

Mother Goose. There! I do believe that must be Dr. 
Foster right now! [She goes to the door and ushers 
in Dr. Foster.] 

Enter Dr. Foster, who beams upon the children and then 
turns and frowns hard at Simple Simon. 

Dr. Foster. Good morning! Good morning! Good 
morning! [To Mother Goose, glancing down at his 
big rubbers that are muddy.] I hope I haven’t tracked 
in any mud. I’m on my way to Gloucester, you know. 
It’s very, very muddy on the road to Gloucester! 


56 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


[Looks at the Dunce and walks over to him, walking 
all around him.] What! A dunce! You don’t mean 
to say—a dunce! In Mother Goose’s School, a dunce! 

Simple Simon. I do know lots of things, I do t I caught 
a —a whale once! 

Dr. Foster. What! What! Oh no! No, you never 
did! A whaling, maybe. 

Mother Goose. I’m sure I do my best with him! [Sighs.] 
I dare say he will learn—sometime! 

Dr. Foster. Let us hope so. A whale! A whale! Of 
course not! No, never! Whaling—I—I hope! 

A loud “ba-a” is heard off stage again. 

Mary Who Had A Lamb [waving her hand]. Oh! 
Teacher! 

Mother Goose [ignoring Mary’s hand]. Dr. Foster will 
now give you a review. [Another louder “ba-a” off 
stage.] Oh, that lamb! Mary! Mary! I told you 
not to let it come to school for you again! 

Mary Who Had A Lamb [exclaims]. Please! 

Mother Goose. What! Must you go after it? Well, 
hurry! Tie it up when you get home! And don't 
let this happen again, Mary! 

Commotion among the children as Mary goes out. 

Mother Goose. Order! Order! Order! {To Dr. Fos¬ 
ter.] You see. Doctor, the child has a pet lamb that 
follows her to school. 

Dr. Foster [absently]. You don’t say! Such intelli¬ 
gence in an animal! [He walks over to the desk, turn¬ 
ing his back to the benches.] Now! 

Great excitement on the benches and a suppressed 
scream from Miss Muffet. 

Mother Goose [rushing over toward Georgie Porgie]. 
Now! Georgie Porgie, what were you doing? 

Georgie Porgie. Me? [Innocently.] I was doin’ 
nothin’ at all! 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 


57 


Mother Goose. What were you doing Georgie Porgie? 

Georgie Porgie. Me? 

Mother Goose. Yes, you! Were you kissing the girls 
to make them cry? 

Miss Muffet [jumping up]. Oh, teacher, it was the 
spider—the spider! Again! 

Mother Goose. Georgie Porgie I I knew it was one of 
your tricks I Kill it at once 1 

Georgie Porgie. I—I don’t know where it went! 

All the Children [jumping about]. There it is! Catch 
it! Oh, it’s gone! [Miss Muffet jumps up on the 
bench, holding her skirts around her.] 

Mother Goose. Order! Order! Never mind the spi¬ 
der! Sit down, everybody. I’m sure I wouldn’t want 
Dr. Foster to report this sort of behavior to the School 
Board. Would you, children? 

Dr. Foster [reprovingly]. Boys and girls should not 
scream over spiders! 

Mother Goose. Certainly not! Our school learns to be 
loving toward all creatures, even though it cannot let 
Mary’s little lamb come into the schoolroom. 

Georgie Porgie [to Tommy Tucker, as Mother Goose 
goes back to her desk and Dr. Foster places the chair 
for her]. I’ve got it! [In stage whisper.] I’ve got the 
spider! 

Mother Goose [seeing the whispering]. What were 
you whispering about. Tommy Tucker? No whisper¬ 
ing ! Tell all the scholars aloud what you were saying 
to Tommy Tucker! Loud, now! 

Georgie Porgie. I—I— [Standing and giggling with his 
hand held to his chest as if something were in it.] 
I said, “I’ve got the spider!” 

Mother Goose [severely]. Go put it out of the door! 
We are kind to all creatures, so we will have this 
little lesson in kindness right here. Dr. Foster, you 
see! Put the spider outdoors, Georgie! 


58 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Tommy Tucker [waving his fist]. Teacher! 

Mother Goose. Well, Tommy? 

Tommy Tucker. Teacher, may I get a drink? 

Mother Goose. If you are very thirsty. 

Tommy Tucker. I ate such a lot of bread without any 
butter! [He runs to the pail and takes the dipper up 
while Georgie Porgie goes toward him.] 

Mother Goose. Georgie Porgie! 

Georgie Porgie. I’m thirsty, too! 

Mother Goose. Order, children! [Going toward the 
benches.] Order! Miss Muffet, seat yourself properly. 

There is a pantomime over the water bucket between 
the two boys. Georgie Porgie indicates Dr. Foster and 
drops a big toy spider upon the coat of Dr. Foster. 

Georgie Porgie. I let go the spider. Teacher! It’s got 
away again! 

Tommy Tucker. It’s on Dr. Foster! 

Dr, Foster [jumping up and brushing himself excit¬ 
edly.] Step on it! Step on it! 

Mother Goose. Order! Order! There! The spider is 
gone! Be quiet, children! It is killed. 

Georgie Porgie [waving his hand]. Teacher! 

Mother Goose. Well? What is it now? 

Georgie Porgie [innocently]. I thought you didn’t want 
to kill it. I was goin’ to put it outdoors! 

Mother Goose, Dr. Foster [together, severely]. Enough! 

Georgie Porgie. I thought you said— 

Mother Goose. Quiet! I don’t want to hear another 
word! Take your seats! [To Tommy Tucker, who 
keeps on drinking.] Enough water. Tommy! [The 
boys go to their seats.] Now, what’s the matter, Polly 
Flinders! What are you crying about? 

Polly Flinders [with handkerchief to eyes.] I’ve got 
a cinder in my eye! 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 59 

Mother Goose. Well, you do get so many things in your 
eyes. 

Polly Flinders [winking very hard,] It’s out, now! 

Mother Goose. Let it stay out! Now we will begin 
with Dr. Foster’s examination. Dr. Foster! 

Dr. Foster [engagingly ]. Now, children let me see how 
much you know. I am the important person who goes 
about asking little children questions in schools and 
I’m on my way to Gloucester. I’m sure you must have 
heard of Gloucester? Where is Gloucester? Can any¬ 
body tell me where Gloucester is? Well, now chil¬ 
dren! I have a prize in my bag and I’m sure you will 
all like to have it. Prizes, in fact, for everybody who 
answers correctly! 

Much excitement among the children. 

Dr. Foster. Let us begin! Some nice little boy may 
rise and answer. 

All little boys jump up at once. 

Dr. Foster. I said one! 

All little boys sit down and Simple Simon jumps up. 

Simple Simon. Sir? 

Dr. Foster. What! What! Is a dunce a nice little boy ? 

Mother Goose. Sit right down. Simple Simon! 

Simple Simon : But they whale there! I know it! 

Dr. Foster [ignoring him]. There, there! Some nice 
little girl may answer! 

All little girls jump to their feet. 

Dr. Foster. Oh, I meant one only. Be seated, children! 

All little girls look disappointed and sit down. 

Mary Who Has A Garden [waving her hand]. Please— 

Dr. Foster. Yes, little girl, you may rise and answer. 

Bo Peep [to Lucy Locket in stage whisper]. She isn’t 
the nicest. 

Dr. Foster [reproymp/z/]. Now, now! Little girl! 


60 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Reenter Mary Who Had A Lamb 

Mother Goose. Make up for lost time, Mary! 

Mary Who Had A Lamb seats herself primly. 

Dr. Foster. You may tell what you know about King 
Cole! 

Mary Who Had A Lamb [rising hurriedly]. Old King 
Cole was a merry old soul—he stole some tarts—the 
merry— 

Dr. Foster. No! No! The other little girl! 

Bo Peep. He called for his pipe— and— and — [Looks 
wildly about everywhere and pauses looking about 
still.] 

Dr. Foster [encouragingly]. Well? 

Bo Peep. I— I— Tve forgotten. I think he went up as 
high as the moon or maybe he was one of the wise 
men who went to sea in a bowl. 

Dr. Foster. Oh, I’m sure you must know! 

. Bo Peep [shakes her head], I can’t remember. 

Dr. Foster. Some other nice little girl, then. [All jump 
to their feet.] No! No! The little girl who has the 
intelligent lamb may answer. 

Mary Had A Lamb. He called for his pipe, 

And he called for his bowl. 

And he called for his fiddlers three. 
Every fiddler he had a fiddle. 

And a very fine fiddle had he; 
“Twee-tweedle-dee, tweedle-dee,” 
went the fiddlers. 

Oh, there’s none so rare. 

As can compare 

With King Cole and his fiddlers 
three! 

[Looks about much pleased.] 

Dr. Foster. Good! Good! Without a mistake! Fine! 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 


61 


Now let us hear from some bad little boy. [He smiles 
benignantly,] 

No little boy rises. 

Dr. Foster. What, no bad little boy here? That’s a 
good thing! Let us hear from some good little boy, 
then! [He pauses to look about.] Little boy who’s 
asleep may rise and answer! 

The children pull the coat of Little Boy Blue, whose 
head is nodding. 

Dr. Foster. He may rise and tell me what Tweedledum 
and Tweedledee were fighting about. 

Little Boy Blue [waking and pushed to his feet]. The 
cows, sir! 

Dr. Foster. Oh, not at all—no, not at all! It was over 
a rattle! I will try you again! Since you are inter¬ 
ested in cows, you may be able to tell me whose cow 
is so famous! 

Little Boy Blue [beaming]. Charley Warley had a 
cow— 

Dr. Foster. Fine! Fine! You’ve redeemed yourself! 
Sit down! Next! We’ll have another splendid little 
boy—that one over there! [He indicates Jack Horner 
who sits in the corner.] What is the most famous 
pie that ever was? 

Jack Horner. It had plums in it, didn’t it? [Smiling 
and waiting to be prompted.] 

Dr. Foster. Oh no! Think again! It— it was made 
with— with— Can’t you remember? 

Jack Horner. Oh yes! Four-and-twenty blackbirds 
that sat on a hill. 

Dr. Foster. Well, not exactly. We are not sure they 
were those blackbirds, but just “four-and-twenty 
blackbirds” that sang when the pie was open. Whom 
did it belong to? 

Jack Horner. The king! 


62 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Dr. Foster. Good! Now another little girl, a very nice 
little girl. That little girl! [He points to Lucy Locket.] 

Lucy Locket [rises and fumbles about ]. 

Dr. Foster. What is the matter, dear? 

Lucy Locket. I’ve lost my pocket, sir! 

Dr. Foster. Well, we’ll look for it afterwards. You 
may tell me about the King of France! 

Lucy Locket. Oh yes, I know: He led them up the hill 
and down again. 

Dr. Foster. Who? Please phrase your answer in 
proper form! 

Lucy Locket. The King of France 

And twenty thousand men. 

They went up hill 

And then went down again! 

Dr. Foster. Good! Now, we will go straight around. 
You need not rise, children! What is multiplication? 
Answer! 

Jack Horner. Vexation! 

Dr. Foster. What are little girls made of? 

Bo Peep. Sugar an’ spice an’ everything nice. 

Dr. Foster. And little boys? Simple Simon! [Turn¬ 
ing.] 

Simple Simon [grinning happily]. I know! 

Dr. Foster. Well? 

Simple Simon. Pollywogs, whales an’ little dogs’ tails. 

Dr. Foster. No! No whales—snails! Remember, snails! 
Snails! 

Mother Goose. Simple Simon, sit down! Enough! 

Dr. Foster. Next! What did King Arthur do? 

Polly Flinders. He made a pudding—a bag pudding! 

Dr. Foster. Correct! Next! What did the lion and 
the unicorn fight over? 

Tommy Tucker. Some bread and butter! 

Dr. Foster. Oh, no! It was— What was it, next? 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 


63 


Georgie Porgie. The crown. 

Dr. Foster. Yes, the crown; you got mixed a bit, boy! 
They ate white bread and brown. I don’t believe any¬ 
body gave them butter. Next. Who can tell me what 
makes one healthy, and wealthy, and wise? 

All appear to think deeply. 

Simple Simon [waving his hand frantically]. 

Mother Goose [pleased]. Simple Simon knows! 

Dr. Foster. Simple Simon! 

Simple Simon. Please, sir, it’s Dr. Fell. 

Dr. Foster. Oh, no, Simple Simon! Something better. 
But there’s no professional feeling that prompts me 
to say so, of course! Who can tell me what makes 
one healthy, and wealthy and wise! 

Simple Simon [waving his hand again very hard], I 
know! 

Dr. Foster. Well, Simple Simon, you bright boy! 

Simple Simon [joyously], Mother Goose. 

Dr. Foster. Er—er— Of course, Simple Simon! But 
that’s not quite right. Of course, you know she does 
a great deal for all children. We know that! We 
lay our tribute at her feet! [He bows toward Mother 
Goose.] But in this instance— 

Mary Had A Garden [waving her hands, first one and 
then both]. Oh! /know! 

Dr. Foster. Well? 

Mary Had A Garden. Early to bed and early to rise. 

Dr. Foster. Yes! Yes! Fine! Splendid! Grand! [Look¬ 
ing at his watch,] Now, I’m afraid I must tear my¬ 
self away. I see it is late. I must be going on to 
Gloucester! 

Enter Ten O’Clock Scholar hastily. 

Mother Goose. Noon! Yes! That’s the time this boy 
arrives, Dr. Foster! We call him our Ten O’Clock 


64 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Scholar! [Ironically,] Have you an excuse from 
your mother? 

Ten O’CLOCK Scholar. No, ma’am I I’ve been fishing. 

Simple Simon [to himself], A whale! 

Ten O’CLOCK Scholar. I didn’t catch anything. 

Dr. Foster. Well, you can answer at least one question 
even if it comes late. Tell me how many miles is it 
to Babylon? 

Ten O’CLOCK Scholar. A crooked mile. 

Dr. Foster [looking at his watch, absently]. Yes, yes! 
[Suddenly realizing error,] Oh, no! You made a 
mistake. It is four score miles and ten. How many 
miles is that? 

Children all think deeply hut make no answer. 

Mother Goose. We haven’t learned to reckon that yet. 
It comes in the next book of lessons. 

Dr. Foster. Well, well. I’m sure it will come! You 
have all done very well—all, and I recommend that 
Mother Goose promote Simple Simon when he learns 
that whales are not caught in pails, but in the Atlantic 
Ocean. [He looks about for his bag.] My bag? 

Mother Goose. Did you have a bag? 

Children. Oh no! No, he didn’t have any at all when 
he came in. 

Dr. Foster. My bag! What could I have done with it? 
[Suddenly.] Oh, I must have left it on the road when 
I lost an overshoe. I got the overshoe and forgot the 
bag—very absent-minded! 

Ten O’CLOCK Scholar. I saw the bag near the brook on 
the road to Gloucester. 

Mother Goose. Run and get it! 

Exit Ten O’ Clock Scholar. 

Mother Goose. So glad we found it! And now chil¬ 
dren, while we are waiting we will sing the song of 
**Thc Queen of Hearts” to show how well we can sing! 


THE MOTHER GOOSE SCHOOL 


65 


The children rise and stand in semicircle and as she 
beats time they sing **The Queen of Hearts*' 

Children [sing]. The Queen of Hearts, 

She made some tarts, 

All on a summer’s day; 

The Knave of Hearts, 

He stole the tarts. 

And took them all away! 

The King of Hearts, 

Called for the tarts. 

And beat the Knave full sore; 

The Knave of Hearts, 

Brought back the tarts. 

And vowed he’d steal no morel 

Ten O’CLOCK Scholar dashes in with bag, puffing. 

Ten O’CLOCK Scholar. There, sir! 

Dr. Foster. Oh thank you, my lad! The very bag! 
And now for the prizes! See here—here is a 
pocket marked Lucy Locket! And here is a pretty 
bowl for Miss Muffet! And here a fine lot of plums 
for Jackie Horner! And a knife for Tommy Tucker, 
and, let’s see! Here is a pretty horn to wake up Boy 
Blue [laughs] and a little pail for Simple Simon for 
a whale, Simon! And a handkerchief for Polly Flin¬ 
ders, some cockle shells for Mary’s Garden and a pink 
ribbon for the other little Mary’s lamb, the intelligent 
lamb! And a crook for Bo Peep; a watch for the 
Ten O’clock Scholar so he can come to school on time! 
There! [He gives out the last prize as the children all 
gather round him.] I must be going! A fine school. 
Mother Goose! A splendid school! himself 

out.] 

Exit Dr. Foster. 

Mother Goose. Recess! Recess, children! Dismissed! 

Curtain as Mother Goose says Attention” Dismissed!” 


THE GOBLINS 


An October Play 
CHARACTERS 

Tom, Twick, Harriet, Children 
The Hallowe'en Witch 
Red, Green and Golden Goblins 

COSTUMES 

Green Goblin, in green goblin dress, ornamented with green 
leaves. 

Golden Goblin, in yellow dress, ornamented with yellow leaves. 

Red Goblin, in oak red dress, ornamented with red oak leaves. 

The Hallowe’en Witch, in dark cape and peaked hat. She 
carries a broom over her shoulder and on it is fastened a 
stuffed black cat. 

Tom, a boy in overalls carrying a pumpkin lantern. 

Twick, a smaller boy with false face and dressed in Hallowe’en 
rig, with shawl. 

Harriet, a girl in middy dress, with a white sheet draped over 
her shoulders. 

Time: The evening of Hallowe’en. 

Scene: A cornfield. The stage has a dark curtain 
hung at the back. A large yellow disk upon the cur¬ 
tain represents a full moon. There are tree boughs at 
rear to represent bushes; at the center of the stage is 
a cornstack with yellow pumpkins about it. 

The Curtain Rises to Disclose: Green Goblin hiding 
back of the hushes, right. Other Goblins on hands 
and knees peeping from the rear of the cornstack. 

Green Goblin. Hist! Keep back! Hide! 

Golden Goblin [standing up.] I heard nothing. 


66 


THE GOBLINS 


67 


Red Goblin [creeping from hiding place.] Only the 
autumn wind rustling the corn! 

Green Goblin [waving his right arm in command]. 
Hide! Hide! I hear footsteps! We must not be seen 
till the right time. I will give the signal, a catcall. 
[He hides hack of the bushes.] 

Golden Goblin and Red Goblin run back to the bushes, 
left. There is silence. 

Enter, Tom, Twick and Harriet in single file, from left, 
with Hallowe*en pumpkin lantern and Hallowe’en 
get-ups. 

Tom [setting the pumpkin carefully down and then 
throwing himself upon the cornstack]. My, Tm tired! 
That gate was heavy! Some work, that, getting it hung 
up high on the telegraph pole! [Laughs.] 

Twick [removing false face]. I’m hot! [Fans himself 
with the false face.] Won’t Mrs. Brown have a time 
of it to-morrow trying to find it! [Laughs.] 

Harriet [doubtfully]. I’m not sure we ought to have 
done it. It seems rather mean. She hasn’t anybody 
to get it down for her. She’ll probably have to go and 
hire a man and pay him and she is poor. I don’t think 
I’d like it if I were in her place! 

Tom. Stuff! Isn’t it a joke! 

Twick. Just like a girl! She’ll have an awful time 
getting the gate back! That’s where the fun comes 
in, don’t you see. Silly? 

Harriet [takes off the Hallowe’en sheet and folds it 
thoughtfully]. Fun! I don’t think it’s funny! 

Tom [impatiently]. You needn’t have come along with 
us! 

Twick. Oh, come on! It is funny! 

Harriet. If I hadn’t come along, you might have gotten 
into trouble. Besides, I like to dress up and play 
Hallowe’en spook! 


68 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Twick. You didn’t keep me from hiding the water 
bucket over at Jones’s! And you don’t know where I 
put it! 

Harriet. I didn’t see you do it! 

Tom. And they won’t find their wheelbarrow over at 
Browns’. You couldn’t guess what I did with that. 
Or the washing that was hanging on the back porch! 

Harriet. Oh, I dare say you made heaps of trouble for 
a lot of people. But really, that isn’t what I call funny. 

Tom. Well, what’s Hallowe’en for, then, if it isn’t a 
time to play pranks and pretend it’s goblins and Hal¬ 
lowe’en witches! 

Twick. Of course! [Laughs.] My, but they’ll have a 
sweet time finding the things I hid! 

Harriet. I have half a mind to go back and fix things 
right. If anybody made you all that trouble, you 
wouldn’t laugh so hard! 

Tom. Oh, rubbish! 

Twick. Why, we’re playing we’re the goblin and 
witches, and the spooks! 

Harriet. There aren’t any. 

The bushes rustle. 

Twick [jumping as if startled]. What’s that? 

Tom [peering about]. There aren’t any such things as 
goblins, or spooks, or witches. [A bit frightened.] 
What was that? A funny noise in the bushes. Don’t 
you think it’s time to go home? [He gets up and the 
children form a group, looking about in the darkness.] 

A catcall comes from the bushes and the Goblins jump 
out and surround the children. 

Green Goblin. Not any goblins, did you say? 

Red Goblin. Am 1 a goblin, pray ? 

Golden Goblin. I should like to know what I look like! 

Tom [turning to run, is caught by Green Goblin]. I— 
I—I should say you were a goblin. [Shivers.] 


THE GOBLINS 


69 


Twick [caught by Golden Goblin]. Oh, Oh! 

Golden Goblin [to Twick]. Now what do I look like? 

Twick [squirming to get away] . A-a goblin 1 Please 

don’t hurt me. I’ll be good! Oh, I’ll be good I 

Harriet [with Red Goblin’s hand on her shoulder]. 
Please do let us go 1 Really, I haven’t done anything 
bad to you, you know! Now, have I? You oughtn’t 
to grab me like that! It isn’t polite—and you can’t 
make me afraid, because I’m not. 

Golden Goblin ] But there are such things 

Red Goblin V [in turn], as goblins! We’ve been 

Green Goblin J just waiting to get at you! 

Tom [striking about]. Now, look here. You let us go! 

Twick. You let us go. 

Harriet. Please, please! 

Golden Goblin 1 We heard what you did! 

Red Goblin I [m turn]. We saw what you did, too! 

Green Goblin J You tried to make people 

say it was the goblins, and we are the goblins, and we 
didn’t do that mischief! It is absolutely false! 

Tom. Well, we didn’t mean anything but fun. 

Twick. Just a joke! Nothing at all bad! Just fun! 

Harriet. Dress-up fun! 

Green Goblin [dropping Tom’s arm]. Do you think it 
really was fun? [He confronts the children.] 

Twick [truthfully]. It seemed fun. 

Tom. Why, yes. A kind of practical joke. 

Harriet. I wasn’t so sure about the joke. I didn’t 
think it was exactly funny, that is, the mischief part. 
It was fun to dress up and pretend. 

Golden Goblin 1 Oh, the dressing up was 

Green Goblin I [in turn], all right! We don’t mind 

Red Goblin J that sort of play! What 

we mind is being blamed for mischief we do not do! 
See! 

Tom [hanging his head], Um-hum! 



70 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Twick. Of course, we didn’t mean it wrong, exactly. 

Harriet. It was just Hallowe’en, you see! 

Green Goblin [doubtfully]. Well— 

Red Goblin [thoughtfully]. It has to be made right. 

Golden Goblin. How would you like to be missing 
things, hidden or hung on a telegraph pole, all the 
family hunting for them and needing them next morn¬ 
ing? [Threateningly.] 

Harriet. Oh, please don’t hurt my brothers I 

Tom. We’ll be good! We’ll be good! 

Twick. We won’t play any more pranks to make peo¬ 
ple trouble! 

Green Goblin. You mean it? 

Tom. You bet! Oh, I mean of course not! 

Twick [anxiously] . Oh, sure we mean it I 

Harriet. Of course! Haven’t they given you their 
word! 

Green Goblin. Then I’ll give you ten minutes by Hal¬ 
lowe’en Moon-time: You go straight back and undo 
all the mischief you have done. See! Exactly ten 
minutes by Moon-time and you promise to come right 
back here and report afterwards? Promise! 

Harriet. And I? I didn’t do anything but dress up, 
you know, but I’ll go along and help the boys. I’d 
rather do that than stay here. 

Green Goblin. You’re hostage. You stay here! [To the 
hoys.] Promise, now! 

Twick. I promise! 

Tom. I promise! 

Tom and Twick run off left. 

Green Goblin [to Harriet]. Come, little girl, you can 
help. We’ll show you what Hallowe’en is meant for. 
Just you see! And we’ll be ready when the boys come 
back. Can you pick up apples and polish them? 

Harriet [eagerly]. Oh yes! That is easy. I like to do it. 


THE GOBLINS 


71 


Golden Goblin. We won’t hurt you. We truly never 
hurt people! We aren’t as bad as we’re made out, 
you know. 

Green Goblin. Don’t be nervous I 

Red Goblin. You’ll find a hoard of apples under the 
cornstack. 

Green Goblin. Bring ’em here! 

Harriet. I’m not nervous. I’m not afraid of you! 

Green Goblin [impressively]. That’s because you’ve 
done no wrong. It’s the people who have something 
to answer for who are the scare-cats. Go get me the 
tub that’s in the bushes, Green Goblin! Help, Golden 
Goblin. [To Harriet.] We will bob for apples first! 
That’s fun! 

Harriet. And have you nuts? 

Green Goblin. Oh, to be sure 1 Always on Hallowe’en! 
We roast chestnuts and name them. The one whose 
chestnut pops first gets the wish he wished! 

Harriet. Oh, that’s fun! 

Green Goblin [dancing about]. Let’s see—what next? 
Fortunes? We’ll make-believe tell fortunes by num¬ 
bering beans. If you take a handful from a bag and 
guess the right number, it will turn to gold. 

Harriet. Only you never do guess just right. 

Green Goblin [laughing]. But it’s fun to play it. 

HhmaKT [eagerly]. Oh yes! 

Green Goblin. By the way, you’re not afraid of witches 
are you, little girl? 

Harriet. Oh — [doubtfully.] I don’t know! I might 
be. Are they really true, too? I’ve only played them 
or read about them. 

Golden Goblin. Because we invited the Hallowe’en 
Witch to our party. 

Harriet [a bit frightened]. I don’t know whether I 
ought to stay. 

Red Goblin. But you’re the hostage. You have to stay. 


72 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Green Goblin. You are afraid? 

Harriet. Well—I—I— I always was a bit! [Trying 
to be polite,] But— 

Green Goblin. Just shake hands with her. She’s harm¬ 
less ! She won’t hurt you! And be sure to say a word 
to her about her fine black cat! She’s tremendously 
proud of her cat 1 

Red Goblin [looking to right]. Oh, I see her! 

Enter Witch with black cat. 

Golden Goblin. Here she comes! 

Green Goblin [going to meet her]. Welcome Witch! 
Here’s a nice little girl; I’m sure you’ll be pleased to 
meet her! 

Witch. Gr-r-r! Good even’ to you! [Offers a clawlike 
hand to Harriet, who shakes it gingerly and then gets 
behind Green Goblin.] 

Harriet. I— I see your cat! Such a pretty pussy, Mrs. 
Witch! I—I— I like cats! 

Witch [pleased]. I see you are a nice little girl. But 
why are you here with the goblins? 

Harriet. You see— 

Green Goblin. She’s hostage for her brothers. They’ve 
been playing pranks, saying the mischief was witches 
and goblins. 

WiTCU [angrily]. Gr-r-r! I knew mischief was abroad. 
I felt it in my finger-joints, I did! I knew it! Did you 
ever know me to play pranks, now? And I just riding 
about on my broomstick! The idea! 

Green Goblin. Oh, don’t get excited. Witch, please! 
By Moon-time it’s time those boys were back. 

Golden Goblin. Have you your Magic Mirror, Witch? 

Witch. Yes, yes. I have it. 

Red Goblin. Oh, look in it and tell us what you see. 
You might look in and tell us where the boys are. 


THE GOBLINS 


73 


Witch [taking a handglass from her pocket]. I will 
look for mischief. [Chants.] 

Rumpety-tumpety-tum-to-tee, 

Where is the mischief, let me see? 
Rumpety-tumpety-tum-to-tee, 

Looking-glass! Looking-glass, 

Where can it be? 

[Mgsteriously.] I see! I see! [Holding the glass 
toward the moon.] I see! 

Harriet [anxiously coming forward]. Oh, what do you 
see? 

Green Goblin 1 

Red Goblin I [peeping over her shoulder]. 
Golden Goblin J What? What? 

Witch [mysteriously]. I see— I see a boy. 

Harriet. Where? Where? What kind of a boy? Oh, 
I wish I could see! 

Witch [reprovingly]. There—it’s gone! I can’t see 
anything when others look over my shoulder. 

Green Goblin. Try again. Witch! 

Red Goblin. I won’t peep. 

Golden Goblin [hiding his eyes]. See! I’m not looking! 
Witch [mollified]. I see— I see— I see a boy bringing 
a gate down from a telegraph pole: He seems to 
have a good deal of trouble. He seems to wish not to 
break the gate. The gate is heavy for so small a boy. 
Oh— Oh! There, he has it down! He’s putting it 
back where it belongs! 

Harriet [clapping her hands]. Oh, Oh! That’s Tom! 

I’m glad he put it back all right. 

Green Goblin [to Witch]. Pray, dear Witch, try it 
again. There was more to be seen, I know! 

Witch. Yes, yes! Always more mischief stalking. 
[Chants again.] 

Tumpety-tump-tee-tee! 


74 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


More an’ more mischief for me to see! 

Mirror, mirror I Where can it be? 

[Happily.] Oh— Oh 1 Here it is! I see— I see— I see— 
this time I see a smaller boy finding a water pail hid¬ 
den under a pile of wood. The wood is heavy. He 
is having a hard time to put it back as he found it. 
1 see him putting the pail back upon a porch. I see 
him putting up bits of washing that he had hidden in 
the pail. He is hanging them on the clothesline where 
they belong. 

Harriet [interrupting eagerly]. Oh, that’s Twick all 
over! 

Green Goblin [to Witch] . Do you see aught else, pray ? 

Witch. I see the same little boy running. He has 
found a pan on top of a fence post. He is taking the 
pan back to the porch where he found it. Now he is 
putting back a chair that he had set on top of a grind¬ 
stone. 

Harriet. I didn’t know he did all that. 

Witch. Such a lot of mischief! No wonder my joints 
ached and my cat spit sparks! 

Green Goblin. But it’s all being made right. It’s all 
being made right, Witch! Tomorrow nobody will 
think ill of the goblins and witches, for the mischief 
is made good. 

Witch. Our one happy evening holiday, just once a 
year to ride about on a broomstick, an evening for 
goblins to frisk and spooks to howl harmlessly! 

Green Goblin. I know! I know! But please don’t get 
excited. 

Golden Goblin. It’s all right now, you know. 

Red Goblin. Moon-time’s almost up. 

Harriet. Oh, they’ll soon be back. And I’m so glad 
you made them make right their mischief. 

Green Goblin. You see it really was unjust to us, don’t 
you, Hostage! 


THE GOBLINS 


75 


Harriet. Oh, very, and beside that, so thoughtless of 
other people’s property! 

Golden Goblin. Exactly! 

Red Goblin. They won’t do it again next yea^-, I’m sure. 

Witch. I hope not! 

Harriet. Oh, no, of course not! 

Golden Goblin. No! No! Next Hallowe’en we’ll all 
meet here as good friends and have a party. 

Witch. A party! 

Green Goblin. Tonight a party, too! 

Red Goblin. I love parties! 

Harriet. Such fun! 

Green Goblin. We’ll bob for apples first. 

Enter Twick and Tom, panting, left, 

Tom. We fixed everything just as we found it! 

Twick. Sure we did. My, I’m out of breath! 

Tom. Everything’s in its place. You would never sus¬ 
pect that anything had been wrong. [Seeing Witch.] 
Jinks! [Starts to ran.] 

Green Goblin [to Tom]. Harmless! Just come to have 
fun with us on Hallowe’en, the real thing, too! [To 
Witch.] Pleased to meet the big boy, and the little 
boy? 

Witch. Pleased, I’m sure! 

Shake! [Shakes hands.] 

Harriet [in Tom’s ear] . Admire her cat! 

Golden Goblin. The party now! The party! 

Tom. Kitty! Kitty! I’m sure it’s a lucky cat! 

Witch [pleased]. A very lucky cat. ’Twill bring you 
luck just because you saw it! 

Twick. Me too? 

Witch [pleased]. Oh yes, yes, yes! Luck for every¬ 
body! Never any bad luck at all. 

Green Goblin. And now everybody take hold of hands 
and we’ll dance! 


76 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Golden Goblin [holding Harriet's hand]. Three times 
around the cornstack and then reverse. 

Red Goblin. And then we’ll bob for apples, we’ll bob 
for apples. Don’t trip over the tub! Watch your 
step 1 Look out for the broom 1 [ They dance. ] 

Green Goblin 


Red Goblin 
Golden Goblin 
Tom 
Twick 
Harriet 


[stopping short, in chorus ]. 
What’s the nicest holiday 
there is in all the year? 


Witch. Hallowe’en 1 


curtain 



THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF 


CHARACTERS 

Mother 
Daddy 
Maggie ^ 

Mark ( the children 
Snookie j 

COSTUMES 

Daddy, in the Isrter scenes, is dressed up like a genie, with white 
drapery over his coat and trousers. He wears on his head 
a turban. 

Mother is in everyday house dress. 

Mark, a boy, wears play clothes. 

Maggie, a girl, is in middy dress. 

Snookie, the little sister, wears rompers. 

Scene: A children*s playroom. To right, covering an 
entrance, stands a screen. With hack to it, upon a 
table, is a small hanging bookshelf. Near it is a 
large armchair standing upon a wide oriental rug. 

Discovered: Maggie, placing the bookshelf on the table. 
Mark is bending over a pile of books and sorting 
them. Snookie is seated in the armchair with a 
picture-book. 

Maggie. There now! [Looks about.] Where can we 
hang it, Mark? 

Mark [looking about the room]. If it were only a bit 
taller, we needn’t hang it at all. 

Snookie [jumping up and down before it and clapping 
her hands joyfully]. It’s to be my very own book¬ 
shelf! 


77 


78 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Maggie. Why, you little goosie! You have only three 
hooks or so to your name! It isn’t your bookshelf at 
all! It belongs to Mark and me. Mother gave it to us. 

Snookie. But I want it, too! 

Mark. Well, all right! You can put your books on my 
side of the shelf; but it’s a very small shelf for three 
people I 

Maggie. If we hang it, she’ll be getting on chairs to 
reach it. We’ll have to keep it on the table. She 
might fall and hurt herself. 

Mark. Well, let it be for now, anyhow. It can stay on 
the table. 

Maggie. It looks well there! [Stands back, looking at 
the bookshelf on the table approvingly.] 

Mark. Now everybody go get books to put into it! 

[The children turn to hunt their books.] 

Snookie. I don’t know where mine all are! I must 
see. [Finds a picture-book in a corner and runs to 
put it into place.] More! [Hunts about.] 

Mark. Here! 

Maggie. Here are some of mine. 

[The two come bringing books.] 

Mark. What have you? 

Maggie. All the books Aunt and Uncle gave me last 
Christmas. 

Mark. And my birthday Scout Books. [He arranges 
his books.] 

Maggie. The bookshelf isn’t big enough. 

Mark. I know it. But I’ll make us each one with my 
carpentry tools. 

Maggie. That would be just splendid! 

Mark. Oh, Snookie! More! Snookie brings her 
books.] 

Maggie. Mercy! 

Mark. We’ll have to fix them on the table, too. 


THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF 


79 


Maggie. I’ll put the ones I like best here. Some I care 
less about than others. 

Mark. Same here 1 But I like all! There are books you 
outgrow and others you like to reread. Here is 
Auntie’s Midget Series. I liked them once. I don’t 
now. Snookie will, though, I’m sure. Have you read 
them? 

Maggie. I did once, when she gave ’em to me and they 
were new. I like other kinds of books better. I don’t 
care about rereading ’em. 

Snookie [carressing a second book]. I like to read my 
stories over, an’ over, an’ over, an’ over. [She puts the 
third on the shelf.] I got ’em all now! See! 

Maggie [looking at Snookie’s row]. Fine, Snookums! 
Now, maybe some day Mother’ll give you your very 
own bookshelf, when you have more books! [Reads.] 
Mother Goose, Andersen's Fairy Tales, and Peterkin 
Papers —A good beginning! 

Mark. I’ve got it, Maggie! We can put into the book¬ 
shelf only the worth-while books. See! Not any 
others. The sort that we tire of don’t go in at all. We 
can only put in the books that are really good! Books 
like Snookie’s are standard. 

Snookie [pleased]. Yes, good, good books! [Pats the 
covers.] 

Maggie. Well, of course, we want only good books on 
our bookshelf, but how’re we going to tell which are 
the good books? 

Mark. Oh well, we’ll find out. 

Maggie. Or put in only nice, fresh, new books that look 
well— 

Mark [placing some on the bookshelf beside Snookie’s 
books] . Well, you can’t decide that way. A very poor 
book might have a very fine cover, you know! I’m go¬ 
ing to put in some that I like best. Look at this, and 
this. [He holds up Treasure Island and The Arabian 


80 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Nights.] I’ve read ’em almost to pieces! And their 
covers never were very good 1 

Maggie. Yes, I know! I have some like that, Little 
Women and Rebecca of Sunnyhrook Farm, and The 
Wonderful Adventures of Nils, and Sara Crew. [Ar¬ 
ranges these upon her shelf.] 

Snookie. The reason they come to pieces, I guess, is be¬ 
cause they’ve been loved so hard. 

Maggie [instructing Snookie]. But you should be very 
careful of the books you love. You don’t mistreat 
the books you love. Daddy said so! But, then, han¬ 
dling books a great deal wears them out. It’s bound 
to. 

Mark. I’m careful, but when I was little I wasn’t—not 
till I realized what books meant. 

Snookie. I’m going to read some of your books. I’m 
’most old ’nough! 

Maggie. If you do, you’ll have to take care of them and 
not leave them about on the floor, Snookums! Be¬ 
cause Mother wants us to take care of the hooks. 
That’s why she gave us the bookshelf. 

Mark. And we’re not going to put any silly books into 
it, because there won’t be any room for them on our 
bookshelf, and we don’t want them. 

Maggie. Only the best ones go in! 

Mark. I put Arabian Nights first on my shelf. 

Snookie. My shelf, too. I know the story about Alad¬ 
din. 

Maggie. My! But I wish we had a wonderful lamp and 
a treasure. 

Mark. And a magic carpet! 

Snookie. I’d say, “Genie, go get me lots an’ lots of 
beautiful books, with lots of beautiful pictures, too. 
An’ he’d bring all, all nice and new and my very own 
bookshelf. 

Mark. Oh, I would wish that too. 


THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF 


81 


Maggie. Wouldn’t it be fun! 

Snookie. We can play it. 

Enter Daddy, right, from back of the screen. 

Daddy. Hello! [Picks up a book from the couch.] 
There! I’ve been looking everywhere for that. 

[Comes to where the children are gathered around 
the bookshelf.] Fixing up the bookshelf all fine, are 
you? 

Mark. Only we wonder how we’ll get all our books into 
it. 

Snookie. An’ we don’t know how to choose which are 
good, ’cept the ones we like best. So we wished and 
[laughing] we wished a genie’d come an’ help, one 
like Aladdin’s, to bring us only truly good, beautiful, 
interesting books. 

Daddy [laughing]. I see! Shall I call a genie? 

Children. Yes! Yes! Oh, yes! 

Daddy. Mark better call him. There ought to be a 
genie of the bookshelf, if you only know how to call 
him! 

Snookie. Oh look, here’s something! Play this is the 
lamp. [Takes up a publisher's catalogue that lies on 
the floor.] See! 

Mark [taking the catalogue]. A book catalogue! That’ll 
do! Now then, I stand before the bookshelf and I—I 
wish a wish—and I hope the genie’ll come! 

Daddy [going away]. That’s it! Wish hard! [Exit.] 

Mark. Wouldn’t it be fun if it really could happen! I 
wonder how long Aladdin had to wait for the genie to 
appear. Didn’t he come at once? 

Maggie. Of course! Now wish hard! 

Snookie [clapping her hands]. Come, Genie! Come! 

Maggie. Genie of the Bookshelf! 

Mark. Of course it’s just play. 

Maggie. Just play. 

Snookie. Play fun. 


82 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Enter Daddy, draped in a white sheet that is worn like 
a genie's robe of flowing folds. On his head is a tur¬ 
ban made from a Turkish towel wound about. 

Daddy [bowing low]. Your servant! What would you? 

Mark. The genie 1 

Snookie. Daddy! 

Daddy. I am your genie. 

Mark. Hush, Snookie I He isn’t Daddy. He’s our 
genie. 

Maggie. Genie, I want a Treasure! Right away, quick! 
I want a Treasure, the best you can find. Pearls and 
rubies and emeralds — 

Mark. And a Magic Carpet, genie! 

Daddy [bowing very low, impressively]. Children of 
the Bookshelf, these gifts that you desire are right 
here in your very own playroom! 

Maggie. Oh, no—not really! [Laughing.] 

Daddy [again bowing low, impressively]. Children, the 
Treasure is here—and the Magic Carpet too! 

Mark. Oh, yes, we play it, Daddy! Excuse me, 1 
meant, genie! Just for fun— 

Daddy [solemnly]. Your genie tells the solemn truth. 
The Treasure is here and the Magic Carpet too! 

Maggie [putting her finger on his ring]. Oh! That’s 
not the kind of jewels I want in my Treasure. 

Mark [putting his foot on the rug]. And I suppose this 
is the Carpet? 

Snookie. Oh! Oh! 

Daddy. No! The Treasure that is greater even than 
pearls, and emeralds, and rubies, and sapphires, and 
diamonds is here, [impressively] and the Magic Car¬ 
pet that can transport you whithersoever you may 
wish to go, that is here too, although it is not out¬ 
wardly such as Aladdin beheld! 

Maggie [seriously]. Really? Where? 

Daddy [goes to the little bookshelf]. Behold your Treas- 


THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF 


83 


ure that is even greater than Aladdin’s pearls and 
rubies! [Taking from the bookshelf a volume.] Be¬ 
hold the Magic Carpet of Imagination, which in a 
twinkling may carry you whithersoever you wish! 

Mark [looking at the genie]. Why, it is so I 

Maggie. Of course! and I never thought of it. 

Snookie. I want to try it! 

Daddy. Let’s all try it and see if it isn’t true. 

Mark. I say we go to Bagdad! 

Enter Mother, right, peeping around the screen. 

Mother. I heard you all having such a good time. 
What are you doing? Playing a game? [Laughs at 
Daddy.] 

Snookie. Oh, Mumsie! Daddy’s a genie! 

Maggie. The Genie of the Bookshelf! And we’ve got a 
Treasure and a Magic Carpet! 

Mark. And he’s going to help us select books for our 
bookshelf! 

Snookie. An’ we’re goin’ to have the best books and 
the most interesting. 

Maggie. And Mother, you’re to sit right down in the 
chair there and help, too! And you’re to write to aU 
the aunts an’ uncles and cousins and tell them we 
don*t want any more worthless little stories, we intend 
to plan ahead for standard reading that is worth 
while. And oh, we want The Book of Knowledge 
and Mark wants biography and science, and I want 
to know how to make things, to sew and cook, and 
stories, too, that are ever so good—that I’ll want to 
keep forever and ever! 

Mother. Yes! Yes! 

Mark [showing the catalogue] . Here, see! We’ll go over 
this and select beforehand the books we want and 
then we’ll work towards a real library. 

Daddy. The genie says he will help. 


84 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Maggie. Oh, the genie’ll go and get them for us ! [Claps 
her hands.] 

Mark. We’ll be better off than Aladdin and have two 
genii to help! [He puts his hand in his mother's and 
looks up at her smiling. She nods.] 

Daddy. Both genii will surely bring you books for the 
bookshelf! The best books will come to you on birth¬ 
days and Christmas. 

Maggie. And don’t let the uncles and aunties give us 
any more useless books. 

Daddy. Such books only as are real Treasures, rubies 
of thought; pearls of treasured knowledge; beautiful 
stories that are ever green in our memory like the 
pure color of emeralds; sparkling happiness of hours 
well spent in reading—diamonds! 

Mother. Such hooks as are real Magic Carpets! 

Daddy. That is good— 

Mother [laughing]. Splendid! 

Mark. Some of these books, you know, I shall always 
like. Oh, I’m sure of it, even when I grow up like 
Daddy. 

Maggie. Me too! Even when I get to be a lady like 
Mumsey! 

Mother. Arabian Nights, for instance. 

Maggie. Oh yes! And ever so many more. 

Mark, That everybody wants to own. 

Maggie. That everybody loves. 

Snookie. Loves almost to pieces. 

Daddy. You shall have them! 

Mark. Oh, genie! 

Mother. You shall have them! 

Maggie. Oh, isn’t it splendid! 

Mark. Great! 

Maggie. A Treasure, a Magic Carpet, and two Genii! 

Mark. Let’s go right off now on the Magic Carpet. [He 
sits on the rug. Maggie leans over the side of the chair 


THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF 


85 


and Daddy leans on one arm, while Snookie curls at 
his feet,] 

Daddy. We wish to go to— 

Mark. Bagdad! 

Maggie [taking Arabian Nights to hand him from the 
bookshelf]. To Bagdad! To Bagdad! 

Snookie. Going to Bagdad! 

Daddy [opening the book]. To Bagdad then! Upon the 
Magic Carpet of Imagination, in a twinkling it will 
transport us through the magic of thought, and we 
shall be living far away, far, far away from here in the 
Orient. 

Snookie. Hurry! Start! 

Mother. We’re all ready, genie dear! 

Daddy. I think we’ll have to take trips together, too, 
—down Alice’s rabbit hole, maybe; to Fableland with 
Msop; through the Child*s Garden of Verses with 
Stevenson; into the Jungle, too, with Kipling; up to the 
Alps with Heidi; to Dreamland with Davy and the 
Goblin and the White Rabbit; to Crusoe’s Island with 
Defoe. But now, now we are off to Bagdad! And 
here we go upon the Magic Carpet of our Bookshelf’s 
thought! Imagination is our Magic Carpet. [He 
opens the story-book and begins it as the curtain 
slowly falls,] 


THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 

CHARACTERS AND COSTUMES 

Santa Claus, with bright red suit and long white beard, 

Mrs. Santa Claus, in red dress with white apron. 

The Holly Elves, in green suits with red trimmings and 
bright red caps into which holly sprigs are thrust. 

SCENE 

Santa Claus’ Workshop: To the right is a large desk 
covered with letters and long Christmas lists. To 
center rear is a pile of wrapped Christmas gifts and 
a Christmas tree, unlighted. To left are big covered 
baskets showing toys sticking out from their cover¬ 
ings. Letters and envelopes lie scattered about Santa 
Claus’ desk. 

The curtain rises showing Santa Claus seated at the 
desk, busy with Christmas letters, Mrs. Santa Claus 
bending over him. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. Oh, please come and have your sup¬ 
per, dear! 

Santa Claus. Supper! Why, look at all these Christ¬ 
mas lists that have come in at the last moment! 

Mrs. Santa Claus. Oh bother! Come and have your 
supper! You’ll be able to work twice as well and 
twice as fast after! 

Santa Claus. No! No! I can’t stop! Think of it—if 
any children who had counted on me should really 
find nothing in their stockings Christmas morning! 
Oh, I’m very, very, very busy, my dear! Don’t ask 
me to stop yet. 

There is a rap on the door outside. 

Mrs. Santa Claus [turning]. Come in! 

86 


THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 


87 


Enter a Holly Elf with mail hag 

Holly Elf [bowing low]. Some more mail, just arrived 
by Chimney-Place Air Mail Route, Sir! 

Santa Claus [distractedly]. More mail! Well, well, 
well—^more mail! Mercy me! Put it there. [PoinU 
ing,] ril see to it as soon as I can. 

Another rap on the door outside. 

Holly Elf. Shall I answer it? I think it’s another 
batch of Christmas lists that have come by the Air 
Mail Route. [He answers the door.] 

Enter another Holly Elf with mail hag slung over his 
shoulder. 

Second Elf. Mail by the Air Mail Route, Mr. Santa 
Claus. 

Santa Claus. Thank you—yes! Put it there [pointing] 
beside the other sack and call my stenographer, 
please. 

The Holly Elves empty their sacks on the floor near 
Santa Claus’ desk and exeunt. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. The stenographer is just hurrying 
through her supper. Can’t I help? Let me help? 

Santa Claus. Well, all right! Just go over those new 
letters for me—there’s a dear! And put the lists on 
file so that the Holly Elves can fill them. 

Mrs. Santa Claus [seating herself in a large rockery 
opens envelopes and places one list after another on 
a long hill file.] These children are asking for such 
a lot of things! They want everything from radio 
outfits to automobiles and aeroplanes. 

Santa Claus. Yes, the children are asking for all sorts 
of things—they always do! I’m sure I don’t know how 
we’re coming out! [Holding out a package of lists to 
Mrs. Santa Claus]. There, these can be filled out. 
You might call the Holly Elves and have them pack 


88 


ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


up the presents and label them. [He turns back to 
work over the file Mrs. Santa Claus has placed on his 
desk,] 

Mrs. Santa [goes to table and rings a little bell that is 
there.] 

Santa Claus. No! No! They’re out in the Christmas 
Tree Grove. They won’t hear that. 

Mrs. Santa Claus [going to the door and ringing the 
bell]. That’s all right! I’m sure they’ll hear that! 
[Goes back to her lists and tosses the envelopes into 
piles, sorting rapidlg.] 

Enter Holly Elves, running. One has an armful of 
dolls: another has an armful of games and toys, an¬ 
other an armful of wrapped presents, another is drag¬ 
ging three sleds; another carries a basket.] 

Santa Claus [jumping up]. Well, well! Now let’s see! 
How are things going down in the Christmas Tree 
Grove? 

First Holly Elf. Oh, we’re getting on beautifully! Al¬ 
most all the presents are picked. 

Second Holly Elf. I just brought these dolls in because 
they are the very last. 

Third Holly Elf. And these are the last games and 
toys from the plaything trees. 

Fourth Holly Elf. And these books and candies that 
are in the basket—^Almost everything all picked! 

Santa Claus [excitedly]. And all these letters and all 
these lists still to fill! Whatever am I going to do? 
Whatever are we going to do? [Walking back and 
forth excitedly.] All those children asking for things 
—and not finding them on Christmas morning! 
And they’ll never believe in me any more! Didn’t we 
grow more presents in the Christmas Tree Grove this 
year than ever before? 

First Holly Elf. There was an unusually large crop. 


THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 


89 


Second Holly Elf. And dolls were very plentiful— 
larger and lovelier than ever—^French dolls, foreign 
dolls, character dolls, dolls of every sort! Even the 
little dolls were most abundant. 

Third Holly Elf. And as for the games and the toys, 

' sir, they were unusually plentiful. And very few fell 
from the trees and got broken. 

Fourth Holly Elf. And the skates and sleds grew 
splendidly, as well as all the other out-of-door play¬ 
things. The sports toys and radios came up beauti¬ 
fully as our new venture. But they, too, have all been 
gathered. 

Fifth Holly Elf. And the books were even better than 
ever. And all the candy bushes bore fine crops of 
Christmas candies. 

Santa Claus. Then I really can’t understand it. 

Mrs. Santa Claus [picking up a list off Santa Claus' 
desk] . But I think I understand it. I think the real 
trouble is that the children have been asking for too 
much. 

Santa Claus [stopping short and looking at the lists on 
the desk.] Well, my dear, maybe you are right. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. You see, you’ve filled all the lists 
just as they came in. Look over there at that big wash 
basket. Now, all of those toys are labeled to go to one 
child! 

Santa Claus. I know it. They’re going to Johnnie, 
the wealthy little son of John Elmore McKrae of New 
York. Didn’t he ask for them? 

Mrs. Santa Claus. But it seems to me he might share 
with somebody else. 

Santa Claus. Well, he did ask for a great many things. 
The whole list isn’t there. Some of his things are 
outside being packed into the sleigh, I remember. 

Mrs. Santa Claus [looking at the other big baskets stand¬ 
ing about.] And here—look here! These are all for 


90 


ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Tibbit and Tottie Harrison, those rich little children 
who live in that big house in that millionaire suburb. 

Santa Glaus. I know it! And I love Tibbit and Tottie! 
They believe in me! 

Mrs. Santa Claus [picking up a letter]. Now, my dear, 
just look at this and you’ll see what I mean. [She 
hands Santa Claus q letter,] 

The Holly Elves draw close to Santa Claus as he takes 
it up. 

First Holly Elf. What does it say? 

Santa Glaus. I’ll read it. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. Yes, you read it! 

Santa Claus [reading]. “Dear Mr. Santa Claus: Don’t 
you know anything about us, I wonder? There are 
eight of us in our family and we live at number 1313 
Smith Street. There’s a lot of other children in the 
same tenement, but you never yet came down our 
chimney to bring any Christmas presents. I don’t 
care so much about myself, because I can do without. 
But I wish you’d bring our baby a Teddy bear. And 
if there weren’t toys enough to go ’round, you might 
bring just a little Christmas candy for us to divide.” 
[He takes out his pocket handkerchief and stops 
short.] No! No! I’m not going to cry! I’m not! To 
think that I’ve gone and passed by the very children 
that really needed me! 

Mrs. Santa Claus [wiping her eyes]. And, you see, 
there are other letters just like that. I found ever so 
many and some from very needy little children, who 
hadn’t warm clothes to wear! All that pile there— 
[She points to a stack of letters lying on the desk.] 

Santa Claus. All I’ve got to say about it is that those 
little poor children have got to be remembered! 

First Holly Elf. They ought to be! 

Second Holly Elf. Of course, they ought to be. 


THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 


91 


Third Holly Elf. They really need presents and play¬ 
things much more than the rest. 

Fourth Holly Elf. And we ought to go right over all 
the things and rearrange the lists. 

Fifth Holly Elf. Let’s see! Where shall we begin ? 

Santa Claus. Dear! Dear! Dear! Then I shall have to 
disappoint some children in order to remember the 
others. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. But when some get so much more 
than others—and the little poor children need so much 
more than the rich children— 

Santa Claus. Yes! Yes! I know! I know! I know- 

Those dear little children who need Christmas shall 
have it! They certainly shall! They certainly shall! 
-And I’ll go over all the lists-1 shall have to! 

Mrs. Santa Claus. At this late hour! Why, it’s almost 
time for the reindeer to be at the door with the sleigh! 
[Looking at the clock,] Dear, and you haven’t had 
even a bite of supper! 

Santa Claus [taking up one letter after another] . Well, 
these are the ones I must make right, these One Thou¬ 
sand and One Needy Cases. I wonder how I ever 
overlooked them. I suppose it was because of the very 
long lists from the very wealthy little children. [He 
begins to sort the Christmas gifts, taking them out of 
the big baskets,] 

First HohLY [crossing to him]. May I help? You 
see, I have thought of a way to even up things. 

Santa Claus. Oh, please do help! What a help you 
Holly Elves have always been to me! 

First Holly Elf. I have thought of a plan. 

Santa Claus [eagerly]. Yes, yes. 

Mrs. Santa Claus [jumping up from her work of sorting 
Christmas lists]. Quick! Tell us about it! 

First Holly Elf. You see, there are so many little poor 
children— 




92 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Santa Claus. Yes, so many that I have never known 
them all. 

First Holly Elf. And the other children should be 
taught to think of others beside themselves. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. That really is the spirit of Christ¬ 
mas. They’ve only been thinking about what they 
themselves were to receive! 

Second Holly Elf. Exactly! 

Third Holly Elf. The rich children ask for so much 
that there is not enough to go around. 

First Holly Elf. That’s just it 1 And it’s so much work 
for Santa Claus to fill out such long lists. I think we 
might just put all the presents into the sleigh and di¬ 
vide them all up evenly, going down eyery chimney to 
see if any children are there who might otherwise be 
forgotten 1 

Santa Claus. A fine plan 1 And we’ll visit the children 
in the tenements first, to be sure they aren’t forgotten. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. If I were you. I’d ask the rich chil¬ 
dren to be sure to ask some poor children to their 
Christmas tree celebrations! Couldn’t you send every¬ 
body a happy dream suggestion about that? Slip 
it under the children’s pillows when you go down 
the chimney to fill the stockings! 

Santa Claus [laughing ]. Why, to be sure I can! To be 
sure I can! [To Holly Elves.] Run off and pick 
every single Christmas present that is left on the 
trees of the Christmas Tree Grove. Pile them all on 
my sleigh. This year we won’t forget anybody—^no, 
not anybody! And I dare say that it will be a very, 
very Merry Christmas for everybody. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. For Christmas really is giving and 
sharing—^not asking and getting! 

First Holly Elf. For Christmas is jolly giving. 

Santa Claus [laughing]. Oh, now I’m not worried any 
more! Here! [To Fourth Holly Elf.] See if the 


THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 


93 


sleigh is ready. There’s so much to do we ought to 
start just as soon as we can. 

Exeunt Holly Elves, dancing about in a merry little 
dance on their way to the door, 

Mrs. Santa Claus. I’ll put your dinner on now. You 
really must have a bite before you go! 

Santa Claus. Yes, yes! In a minute! Do you think 
that all the children will he happy this Christmas? 
I want them all to be happy. 

Mrs. Santa Claus. I think they will; if it is better to 
give than to receive, the children who have much to 
share should have a very Happy Christmas. 

Santa Claus. And the children who have little will 
have the jolliest Christmas they ever knew. I must 
go and wrap up the little dreams to put under their 
pillows! 

Mrs. Santa Claus. Here, let me help! [She fills a bas¬ 
ket with bright tinsel, Christmas candles, Christmas 
stars, sprigs of holly and mistletoe.] [To Santa 
Claus.] There, that’s ready! Nobody can resist 
those Christmas dreams. They are sure to give one 
thoughts of giving happiness to others! 

Sleighbells are heard without. 

Santa Claus. Here are the reindeers. I must hurry! 
So much to do to-night! Such lots of little children to 
visit! [Kissing her good-by,] Really, the dinner can 
wait! And if I’m hungry, maybe I’ll eat Christmas 
candy, if there’s any left over! [He chuckles.] 

The Holly Elves come dancing in. 

First Holly Elf. The presents are all packed. 

Second Holly Elf. The sleigh is waiting! 

Third Holly Elf. We found ever so many more pres¬ 
ents than we thought. They are all in the sleigh. 

Fourth Holly Elf. And nobody shall be forgotten. 


94 


ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Fifth Holly Elf. All the little children shall share the 
joy of Christmas! 

Santa Claus. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas to 
everybody! 

The sleighbells jingle as the curtain descends on Santa 
Claus and the Holly Elves, laden with Christmas 
tree, baskets and presents, going to the door followed 
by Mrs. Santa Claus. 


CURTAIN 

At close of curtain many children pass dancing in 
front of it laden with toys and Christmas greens. They 
call to audience, “Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas 
to all!” They dance down the aisle, greeting the au¬ 
dience. 


THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING 


CHARACTERS 


Dicky 

Dolly 

Mother 


Daddy 

Santa Glaus 

The Christmas Holly Elf 


COSTUMES 


Dicky, a boy in dressing-gown and felt slippers. 

Dolly, a girl in a bath-wrapper and bedroom slippers. 

Santa Claus, in regulation dress of red, with a large pack on 
his back and a long white beard about his chin. 

The Christmas Elf, a small boy dressed in a tight green dress, 
wearing a scarlet cap and scarlet boots. In his hat is struck 
a sprig of holly with red berries. 

Mother and Daddy, both in dressing-gowns, with felt slippers. 

Mother carries a flashlight. Daddy carries a toy pistol. 
Costumes of other characters are just what anybody might wear 
at bedtime on Christmas Eve. 

Scene: The stage is set to represent a room with a 
large fireplace at centery rear. This may he made 
from a big box and should he large enough to per¬ 
mit Santa Claus to step through. There is a couch 
to right of the fireplace. It is covered with a bright 
cover and there are gay pillows on it. Before the 
fireplace is a rug and at the right an easy chair. At 
the left front of the stage is a low table with cover. 
At the right front is a chair. 

Time : Evening of the day before Christmas. 

The curtain rises to disclose Dolly with a small stock¬ 
ing in her handy advancing from right toward the chim¬ 
ney. Dicky, holding an enormous red cotton stockingy 
large enough to fit a gianty coming from left. They meet 
at centery in front of the fireplace. 


95 


96 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Dicky [holding up his stocking]. How’s this for size? 

Dolly. Where’d you get it? 

Dicky [tries to hang up the long stocking, but it falls 
down on the rug], I made it myself [proudly] and its 
big enough to hold all Santa Glaus’s whole pack. 
Think of the lovely things I’ll get. More’n anybody 
else! 

Dolly. I think it’s no fair to ask for more’n your share! 
You ought to hang up your own stocking! 

Dicky. You could get more, too, if you’d make yourself 
a big stocking. 

Dolly [hanging up her stocking], I don’t want to. I’d 
he ashamed to hang up a great big, piggy stocking 
like that! I don’t believe that Mother or Daddy’d ap¬ 
prove. You’d better ask them about it and whether 
you can hang it up. [Peeping into the fireplace.] Oh, 
yes, he can get through that, I’m sure. 

Dicky [finally fastening his stocking up successfully]. 
Well, mine stays here. Of course, Mother and Daddy 
haven’t seen it. Why should they? And besides, 
they’ve gone to sleep, I am sure. I suppose they 
thought we hung up our stockings hours ago, hut I 
was making mine and I couldn’t get it done earlier. 

Dolly. And I was finishing Christmas presents and 
forgot to do it before. I was making this. [She reads 
as she holds up a package: “To Santa Claus, with 
Dolly’s love. Merry Christmas!”] 

Dicky [coming over to where Dolly stands beside the 
table]. What is it, a present for Santa Glaus? 

Dolly [laughing]. Yes. Do you suppose he’ll like it? 
You can’t guess what it is. 

Dicky [poking the parcel]. Bed socks? 

Dolly [letting him feel of the parcel]. Guess again! 

Dicky [feeling of it,] A pink sachet! [Smells of it with 
a sniff,] No. ’Tisn’t that, because it doesn’t smell of 
violets or anything. It’s candy, maybe? 

Dolly [dancing up and down]. No! No! It’s a pair of 


THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING 


97 


red mittens. I knit them myself! What would Santa 
Claus want with candy? He has tons of it. And I 
don’t think he’d ever care for a sachet. It’s mittens! 

Dicky. Well, I’m not going to give him any present. 

Dolly. I can put “From Dicky” on it, too. 

Dicky. Yes—give it here. I’ll write it. [Writes on par¬ 
cel,] Now, where’ll you put it, so he’ll see it? Put it 
heside my big red stocking. 

Dolly [crossing to fireplace]. No! No! He’d be sure 
to see it on the table, I think. [Gpes back to the table 
and lays it there, trying various places.] 

Dicky. What were you doing out there in the dining 
room? I thought I heard you there. Find anything 
to eat? 

Dolly. I was fixing up a tray for Santa Claus. I think 
he must be hungry after a ride on a cold night like 
this. I must go get it. 

[Exit Dolly, right.] 

Dicky. He’ll never see it there. It would be better 
near my big stocking! If he thinks I gave him so 
much, he’ll want to leave me pretty nice presents, 
too! [He moves the stocking and lays it beside his 
big one, which drops upon the floor full length.] 

[Reenter Dolly, right, carrying a tray on which are 
some sandwiches and a piece of cake, with a glass of 
milk.] 

Dolly. I think he’ll like this. [Puts the tray down on 
the table and sees that the parcel is not there.] 

Dicky. Oh, let me have a sandwich! Just one! 

Dolly. No! No! You bad boy! Put the parcel back 
where I left it. You can’t have any of the sandwiches. 
There are only four anyway, and Santa Claus will be 
hungry! Go ’way! 

Dicky. Just one cake. I’m so hungry! 

Doiu.Y [protecting the cake]. No! No! No! 


98 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Dicky [grabbing, unsuccessfully]. He wouldn’t miss it. 

Dolly [looking at the tray and arranging it]. Now 
come, for it’s late, Dicky. We oughtn’t to stay any 
longer. It’s ’most twelve. He may come any minute! 
[Starts to go.] 

Dicky. I’m going to stay. I can hide under the table so 
he’ll never see me! [He hides under the table, but his 
red felt slipper shows under the cloth,] I shall stay 
here. I’m all hidden. 

Dolly [pulling his slipper off]. No, you aren’t. Your 
slipper sticks out. It isn’t right to stay, and he won’t 
like it if he finds you. 

Dicky. I don’t care! 

Dolly. Besides, if I leave you here, you’ll be sure to 
eat the sandwiches and the cake. [She carries his 
slipper with her, left, toward the couch.] I shan’t 
give you your slipper till you come out from under 
the table! 

Dicky [crawling out from under the table on all fours, 
reluctantly, and rather angry]. Give it here! I want 
it. My feet are cold! Besides, I might step on a tack! 
[He takes the slipper and puts it on.] I could curl up 
on the couch and pretend to be asleep. [He jumps 
on the couch and curls up, snoring audibly.] How’s 
that? Doesn’t it sound as if I were asleep? [iSnorcs.j 

Dolly. No, it doesn’t—not a bit! Come! [She tries to 
pull him off couch.] He won’t like it, if he finds you! 

[Sleigh bells jingle off scene,] 

Dolly. Hark! I heard sleigh bells! Come, Dicky, 
Come! 

Dicky. Let me be. I’m asleep! I want to see him! Go 
away. 

[Sleigh bells again jingle, louder,] 

Dolly. Oh Dicky—please! 

Dicky. There now! Hide, quick. He’s coming! [He 


THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING 


99 


throws the couch rug over the two of them and holds 
Dolly.] Quiet! 

Enter Santa Claus from the chimney. He stops on the 
rug and dusts his feet off. 

Santa Claus. Musn’t get any tracks on the rug I Awfully 
tight chimney! [Lays down his pack upon the rug and 
looks around.] That’s some stocking! Must he a 
giant’s child in this house. Dear me! [Thought¬ 
fully.] I thought Dicky and Dolly lived here. [Look¬ 
ing again.] One stocking looks like Dolly’s that I filled 
last year. Pshaw! Dicky’s trying to fool me! [He 
nods thoughtfully.] It’s Dicky’s doing. No giant 
child here. 

Dicky [snores loudly and regularly]. 

Santa Claus. Children here? Well, it’s all right if 
they’re asleep. [In a whisper.] I must he very, very 
quiet! [Turns to the big stocking.] Why, if I filled 
a stocking like this, there’d he nothing left for any¬ 
body else—nothing for the poor children, the little or¬ 
phans, the children that don’t get any gifts when 
things run short. Some children get too much! [Pulls 
down the big stocking.] I don’t know what to do 
about it. [Puts it in place again.] It might belong 
to somebody that was oversize, perhaps. 

Dicky [giggles from the couch]. 

Dolly. Hush! 

Santa Claus [crossing to the couch and pulling off the 
covers]. There! I thought that snoring wasn’t real. 
Well, so long as you’re here, you can explain why you 
stayed and hid. 

Dicky. We were hanging up our stockings—and- 

Dolly. I didn’t want to stay. I was afraid you’d be put 
out about our seeing you. 

Santa Claus I am! I am! [Stalking up and down the 
stage.] I am! I am! You ought to be abed and 
—asleep and no peeking! 


100 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Dolly. I know—I know. But please forgive us; I was 
up late tying up Christmas gifts and forgot all about 
my stocking, and when I came down, Dicky was here 
and we were fooling— 

Dicky. And we hid when we heard the sleigh bells. 
That was how it happened. I’m sure we couldn’t be 
to blame! Let’s see what you have brought us! [Goes 
to the Santa Claus pack and is about to open it.] 

Santa Claus. Hie there! If you don’t leave that alone, 
I’ve a mind not to leave you anything. I have a mind 
to go back up the chimney. Why didn’t you go to bed 
the way you ought to? [Crossly.] I’m quite put 
out! [Going into the chimney.] 

Dicky and Dolly. Oh, please don’t go I Please don’t! 

Dolly. You see, Mr. Santa Claus, it was really my 
fault. I—I fixed you up a lunch. You haven’t found 
it! 

Santa Claus [coming out of the chimney]. Hey, what’s 
that, Dolly? 

Dolly. Oh, I’m glad you came back. You see, I fixed 
you up a nice little lunch. It’s here [running to the 
table.] See! Just sit down in this big chair and eat it. 
And you don’t need to leave me any games or toys or 
anything, if there aren’t enough to go around to the 
little poor children and the orphans, and those that 
usually get very little. 

Santa Claus [seating himself in the chair and eating]. 
How thoughtful of you, Dolly! Thank you, Dolly! 
That was kind of you! 

Dolly. I have everything that you brought me last year 
—the doll, the tea set, the books, the games; and 
though I’ve played with them, they’re still just as good 
as new. 

Dicky [pushing in between Santa Claus and Dolly]. 
Did you bring me all the things I asked for in my let¬ 
ter? 


THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING 


101 


Santa Claus. Oh, I see! That stocking must be yours, 
Dicky? 

Dicky. Yes, it’s mine. I could have made it bigger. 

Santa Claus [with a chuckle, eating the cake]. What 
very large feet you must have, Dicky! 

Dicky [looking at his feet]. Not at all! [Crossly.] 

Santa Claus. Do you think that stocking’s quite—quite 
your size? 

Dicky. Oh, I didn’t suppose it mattered. I asked for 
so many things! If I’d put up my own stocking, there 
might have been holes in it. I wear them very hard. 
Mother says so! Please, what did you decide to give 
me? May I see? 

Dolly [reprovingly]. Let him eat his cake. [To Santa 
Claus]. Dicky always wants more’n his share! 

Dicky. No, I don’t. 

Santa Claus [finishing up the crumbs]. Awfully good! 
I feel as if I’d had a dinner! You know Dicky isn’t the 
only child who has asked for more than his share'; 
maybe he didn’t know what it meant. 

Dicky [poking the Santa Claus pack]. Oh, do let me 
see! [Peeps m.j 

Dolly. Youmusn’t! Put it down! 

Santa Claus [to Dolly] . Oh—a present for me! [Pick¬ 
ing up the gift that is on the table.] How wonderful! 
[He takes out the mittens and tries them on.] 

Dolly. You like them? 

Santa Claus. They just fit! Thank you! Thank you! 

Dicky. It was part mine, too! 

Santa Claus. I suppose you each knit one. 

Dicky. Well—not exactly. Dolly did them, but we 
gave them together. She let me. 

Santa Claus. I see! Well, Fm much obliged, Dicky. 

Dicky [in off-hand manner]. Oh, that’s all right. But, 
see here, let me have my things, won’t you ? [Looking 
into the sack.] There’s the radio set I wanted, and 


102 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


the toy aeroplane, and the skates. I can see them. 
And the bat and the—oh, yes, the baseball mask. And 
those must be my candy boxes. [Putting his hand into 
the hag as if to pull them out.] Oh! 

Santa Claus. Wait a bit! 

Dicky [dancing up and down], I say, Dolly, see all 
Fve got! Oh, I’ve got all there is in the Santa Claus 
pack! 

Santa Claus [taking down the big stocking and putting 
in its place the whole pack.] I suppose I might as 
well—^you asked for almost all. 

Dicky. Oh, the whole pack! How dandy! [He is over¬ 
joyed.] 

Dolly [reprovingly]. Oh, Dicky! 

Santa Claus. Never mind, Dolly. Let him take out 
what he finds in the pack. 

Dicky. Oh, Oh, Oh! Look! I’ll pull out this—a great 
big, enormous package! [He pulls out with effort a 
big parcel which almost fills the sack.] Oh! Oh! Oh! 
Look! [He pulls the package out and finds it labeled 
“Christmas Greediness.”] Oh! [Taken aback.] Oh! 

Santa Claus. That’s what you asked for, you know. 
You’ve got it! It isn’t a mistake—no “Christmas Greet¬ 
ings”—“Christmas Greediness.” 

Dicky. But I didn’t want that! [Beginning to cry.] I 
didn’t want that! 

Santa Claus. I can’t do anything about it. That’s 
what all selfish children get. 

Dicky. But I wanted the other things. All of them. 

Santa Claus. Huh! 

Dicky [crying]. I don’t want it! I don’t like “Christ¬ 
mas Greediness.” I don’t care! I’m going back to 
bed! I’m not going to open it. [Starts, but turns 
back.] I didn’t know you could be mean! [To Santa 
Claus.] 

Dolly. Oh, hush! 


THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING 


103 


Santa Claus. Dicky, Pm sorry. You see, as soon as you 
looked into that pack, you changed all the toys that 
were in it. Pm not responsible because you pulled out 
a big package of greediness instead of a toy; if Dolly 
had tried, it would have been different. We’ll see 
what we can do. I’ll have to call my Christmas Elf 
to consult about it. He’s up on top of the roof. [Goes 
to chimney and calls.] Christmas Elf, come! Come 
here! Want your help! 

There is a jingle of hells and a little Christmas Elf 
peeps out from the chimney. There are hells sewed 
all over his elfin dress of red and green. 

Enter Christmas Elf, from chimney. 

Christmas Elf. Pm here! 

Santa Claus. There’s a little boy here who has asked 
for all that was in my whole pack; so I gave him the 
whole of the pack, you see, and he is crying because 
when he started to take out the presents, he found 
nothing but greediness! Christmas Greediness! 

Christmas Elf. Exactly! 

Dicky. I didn’t know I was selfish! 

Dolly [putting an arm about him]. Don’t cry. It’s 
going to be made all right. Pm sure. 

Christmas Elf. We’ll try what can be done. [Puts the 
package into the pack again.] Now, little boy! Try 
again! 

Dicky [crying]. I don’t want to be selfish. I hate that 
stocking! I don’t care whether I have any presents. 
I want the children who haven’t much to enjoy— I 
want them to have my share- 

Christmas Elf. Now that’s the Christmas spirit! Now, 
Pm sure things will look better! [To Dicky.] Try 
again and see what you pull out. [Holding the pack 
o.pen.] 

Dicky. Oh! It’s another big package! [This time the 


104 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


other side of the package is turned toward the au¬ 
dience and it reads “Unselfishness.”] 

Santa Claus [patting Dicky on the back.] There! Now, 
you see things are quite right. If you hadn’t felt like 
that, the Christmas Fairy couldn’t have worked such 
true magic! 

Dicky. And there’s a letter. 

Dolly. Let’s read it. 

Dicky [breaking open the letter and reading.] Dear 
Dicky: I am giving you the very biggest thing Christ¬ 
mas can bring. It is the chance to think of others. 
This is the real Christmas gift. It is better than hav¬ 
ing many toys and many little gifts that you can 
break. I invite you and Dolly to go with me and 
distribute the big gift tonight.—Santa Claus. 

Dolly. May we? Oh, may we? I know some little 
poor children I’d like to take toys to. And there are 
the Smiths who aren’t going to have any Christmas— 
no gifts at all! 

Dicky. I will take my skates to Billy Smith. His mother 
is too poor to buy him any. 

Dolly. Oh, what fun! [Suddenly thinking,] Mother 
will let us go. We’ll have to ask. 

A door slams off stage. 

Santa Claus. Well, I must go. Don’t dare to get 
caught again. [i?un5 toward chimney.] 

The Christmas Elf is about to follow Santa into the 
chimney when the door opens and in comes Daddy, 
followed by Mother. 

Daddy [surprised]. Oh! [Dropping the toy revolver 
he holds.] Santa Claus! I thought it might be a 
burglar! [Laughs.] So it was you! 

Mother. So good of you to come and remember the 
children, Santa Claus! 


THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING 105 

Santa Claus [laughing]. They were very naughty. 
They hid. 

Dolly. And Santa Claus has asked us to go with him 
and help give out the Christmas gifts. [To her 
Mother in a whisper,] He’s wearing my red mittens 
—see! [To Daddy.] You’ll let us go? Oh, please! 

Daddy. Oh, yes, to be sure! Don’t forget to hold on 
tight, though! 

Mother. Run and get your coats. 

Santa Claus. There are plenty of furs and warm things 
up on the roof. Mother. [To children,] Hurry! We 
have to make up for lost time. 

Dolly. We’ll be home in time for early breakfast. 

Santa Claus [standing beside the fireplace]. Children 
and Elf first! [To parents.] Merry Christmas! 
Merry Christmas! Oh, I’ll take care of the children! 
Merry Christmas! 

Mother. Have a good time! 

Daddy. Yes! Have a good time! 

Dicky [turning and laughing]. The best time in all the 
world! [Calling back.] Mother, please hide that hor¬ 
rid old selfish red stocking! 

Mother. I will. [Laughing,] 

Santa Claus turns to go up the chimney. 

All [in chorus]. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! 
Merry Christmas! 


curtain 


THE THREE DWARF BROTHERS 


CHARACTERS 

Stingy Dwarf Generous Dwarf 

Selfish Dwarf The Stranger 

COSTUMES 

Stingy, red brownie dress, pocket at waist. 

Selfish, blue brownie dress, pocket at waist. 

Generous, yellow brownie dress with overalls and pocket bag. 
The Stranger, long green cape with hood. He carries a staff. 
Under the long cape that entirely covers him and fastens 
down the front, he wears a glittering dress such as a Good 
Fairy might wear. 

Scene : The living room of a tumble^down house where 
the Three Dwarf Brothers live. There is an entrance 
at right and near it a couch covered by a worn rug. 
At rear is a small cupboard and a stove. At left stands 
a table with three broken plates and three china mugs. 

The Curtain Rises to Show: The Three Dwarf Broth¬ 
ers seated around the table. 

Selfish. I want more to eat! 

Stingy. Well, you’ve already had more than I have. 
Generous. I do wish there was more in the cupboard; 
but there’s only the bread that we must save for din¬ 
ner. 

Selfish. I must have that! I am hungry! 

Stingy. No! I must have it! 

Generous. Well, if it were not for dinner. I’d let you 
have it. 

Selfish. There you go again! 

Stingy. You never let us have what we want to eat. 
Generous. But you see, there is so very little, brothers! 

106 


THE THREE DWARF BROTHERS 


107 


And I am the one who looks out for things! The bread 
must he saved, for greater hunger will come. 

Selfish. There you go a^ain/ I want it noin.' 

Stingy. I want more! 

Generous. Well, I haven’t eaten my second slice. I’ll 
give you each an equal half. Then we will save the 
loaf for time of greater need. [He very carefully di¬ 
vides his slice into two equal portions and gives one- 
half to each brother,] There! 

Stingy [stuffing his down]. Give me some of yours! 
[He grabs at Selfish’s bread.] 

Selfish. Stop that! This is mine! [He keeps tight 
hold of the slice and grabs at his mug too.] You’ll be 
taking my milk next! But this is my mug! You have 
your own. [To Generous.] And you too! 

Stingy. My mug’s the best looking of the lot, and we 
all got our mugs at the same time. Selfish, you can’t 
have it. Anyhow, it’s too good to use; I’m not going 
to use it any more. I’m going to put it away where it 
will be safe! [He jumps up from the table, wraps the 
mug in paper, and puts it in a drawer which he locks, 
putting the key into his pocket.] 

Selfish. Nobody shall have mine to use either! It’s 
my mug! [He slips it into his pocket.] There! I 
won’t have you two breaking or using it. The mugs 
are alike, except that Generous has cracked his! 

Generous. Oh, oh. Brother! I didn’t crack mine! 
But I will let you two use it, when you want. Then 
you can save your own that are so pretty and new. 
You know well who cracked it carelessly, but we won’t 
remember that! Accidents will happen. I know you 
did not mean it. It will still hold water! [He holds 
up the cracked mug.] It is still useful! We will all 
three use it! 

Stingy. Oh yes, that’ll do! We can save our mugs and 
keep ’m! [Complainingly.] Nothing more to eat, I 


108 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


suppose! [He gets up and pushes aside his chair.] 

Generous. Time to clear up! 

Selfish. Fm not going to do any work! 

Stingy. Fm busy! [He goes to the couch and curls up 
comfortably.] You can help, Selfish! [Selfish 
brushes the crumbs from the table with his hand and 
throws them on the floor.] There! Fve done my 
share! Brother Generous can finish! [He curls up 
in a chair with a picture-book.] 

Generous. Oh, the work will soon be done! [He clears 
the table. As he comes to his own plate, he finds a 
bit of bread still there. This he puts into the cup¬ 
board carefully and then he takes up the broom to 
sweep.] 

A knock is heard at the door. 

Generous. Oh! Oh! Brothers, won’t one of you go, 
please? 

Stingy [pretending to be asleep]. Ron! Ron! Ron! 
[Pretending to snore loudly, and making much noise.] 
Ron! Ron! Ron! 

Selfish. Fm busy! 

A second time the knock comes at the door. 

Generous. Oh! Such a cold day! Don’t let anybody 
stand at the door in this stormy winter weather! 

Selfish [goes to Stingy and shakes him]. You go! 

Stingy. Fm asleep! Go away! [Snores loudly in 
make-believe.] 

Generous [darting forward to the door]. Well, I’ll 
go! Nevermind! [He opens the door.] 

Enter The Stranger, leaning on his staff. 

Stranger [coming forward, still leaning on his staff]. 
Good luck and good day to you all! 

Generous. The same wish to you, sir! It is stormy 
weather for the New Year to come in on! Come to the 


THE THREE DWARF BROTHERS 


109 


stove and warm yourself! You must be cold. Have 
you come a long way? 

Stranger. Aye, a long way, and I am already tired. 

Generous. Stingy, dear, do let the gentleman have the 
couch! 

Stingy [snoring very loud], Ron! Ron! Ron! 

Generous. Oh, he must be asleep. Take this chair. 
Selfish, won’t you let the Stranger have the comfort¬ 
able chair? 

Selfish pretends to be absorbed in the picture-book so 
as not to hear. 

Generous [seeing that his brother has refused] . I will 
put this here by the fire for you! [He offers The 
Stranger a chair.] I wish I had something to give you 
to refresh you! We have no tea! 

Stranger. A glass of cold water, if you have it handy 1 

Generous [going to the cupboard]. We have mugs. 
You won’t mind using a mug, Stranger? [Pantomime 
while he looks at the chipped and broken mug and 
shakes his heady and then goes over to Selfish, to 
whom he whispersy while Selfish shakes his head and 
saySy “No,” holding tight the pocket-bag with the good 
mug in z7.] 

Generous [apparently begging for the mug]. I’ll soon 
bring you the water, sir! Make yourself quite com¬ 
fortable by the stove! [He goes to the couchy but 
Stingy snores and pays no attention to his whispei-y 
“Do let me take your mug. Brother! I cannot offer 
company a broken mug!”] 

Stingy. Ron! Ron! Ron! No! It is mine. I won’t let 
anybody use it I Ron! Ron! It’s my mug! 

Generous [returning to the closet]. I am sorry, I have 
only a broken mug to offer you. Stranger. It is all 
I have! [Gives him the mug.] 

Stranger [taking the mug], I am very grateful! 

Generous. I have no doubt you are hungry, too! 


110 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


Stranger. A bit to eat would not go amiss! [He smiles 
at Generous.] 

Generous. I wish I had something to give you, but alas! 
We are. poor dwarfs who live in a tumble-down 
house, Stranger! I have but the part of a crust of 
bread, but you are welcome to that, if you will? 
[Brightly,] I will put it upon our best plate! [He 
offers The Stranger the crust.] 

Stranger. The first that I have eaten this New Year! 
Ah, but how good it tastes! 

Generous. Wouldn’t you be more comfortable with 
your cape drying by the fire? I could hang it for you. 
[Taking back the plate and the broken mug,] Oh, 
sir, there are gold pieces here. You do not mean 
them for me! I would not take any reward for so 
simple a kindness. ’Tis but an everyday thing to 
help a stranger on the road, if he needs shelter and 
refreshment! [Putting the coin beside The Stranger’s 
hand,] 

Stranger. It is but your own magic returned to you! 
Is not generosity always a golden thing? Keep the 
broken mug, for, so long as you use it, it will be full 
to the brim with wealth and treasure! 

Generous [amazed]. Oh, sir! I thank you! 

Stranger [throwing off his cloak and showing himself 
without beardy young and handsome]. I will show 
you what I am. I am the New Year, the happy New 
Year. I came to you in guise of poverty because I 
wished to bestow my gifts on those who best deserved 
them, even as you do! [Taking the basket,] I have 
gifts also for your brothers! 

Stingy [jumping from the couch], A gift, did you say? 

Selfish. Something for me? 

Stranger. Give me your mugs and I will fill them. 

Stingy [running to cupboard]. Yes! Yes! You shall 
have mine in a moment! 


THE THREE DWARF BROTHERS 


111 


Selfish [running with his to The Stranger]. Here! 
Fill mine! Fill it to the brim. Give me more than 
either of the others have I 

Stranger. Here! And here! [Returning the mugs to 
Stingy and Selfish.] 

Stingy. But there’s nothing in mine but sand! 

Selfish. And nothing in mine but pebbles! 

Stranger [pointing first at one and then at the other]. 
You are stingy and you are selfish, therefore the magic 
could not work. The New Year gives you what you 
yourself are! 

Generous. Alas! Alas! [Sobbing.] My brothers! 

Stingy. I told you the New Year would bring us nothing 
happy! 

Selfish. I do not want a mugful of pebbles! [He 
stamps his foot.] 

Stranger. I am sorry! 

Generous. My brothers! 

Stranger. If they had been different— 

Generous. Alas! Alas! Alas! 

Stranger [comforting Generous, draws him away]. 
You see the trouble is in themselves so I cannot think 
how to help them. 

Generous. Oh, could you not change them by some 
happy magic? 

Stranger. If they did but show a change of heart! 

Stingy and Selfish [who have been talking together 
at the other end of the room, come forward to Gen¬ 
erous]. Brother! 

Generous [turning]. Yes! 

Stingy. I am sorry! I have been a mean brother to 
you. I will be better this New Year. I will try not to 
be stingy any more. I will help with the work. 

Selfish. And I too. Brother! I have been selfish. I 
will be more thoughtful of you and of others! 

Stranger [who is a good fairy]. Good! Now I can 


112 ACTING PLAYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 


make the magic! [He touches them each with his 
long staff.] A Lucky Magic now 1 [He smiles at them 
and at Generous and goes toward the door.] A 
Happy, Lucky Magic I 

Stingy. Oh, oh! 

Selfish. Oh, Happy, Happy New Luck! 

The Stranger puts on his cloak and goes. 

Generous. And now we must be truly happy and share 
and share alike truly, as brothers should! 

The three put their mugs on the table side by side and 
as they tip them, it is seen that all are full of gold. 

Stingy. We will rebuild the tumble-down house and 
in the New Years we will never turn a deaf ear to need. 

Selfish. And whoever may wish to drink from our 
mugs, he will be welcome. All that is given is meant 
to be shared! 

Stranger [shutting the door]. Farewell! 

All, And Happy, Happy New Year! Happy New Year! 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 


PLAY PRODUCTION AND EDUCATION 


Author 

Title 

Publisher 

Stratton 

Producing in Little Theaters 

Holt 

Taylor 

Practical Stage Management 

Dutton 

for Amateurs 

Wise 

Dramatics for School and 


Community 

Appleton 

Chalmers 

The Art of Make-Up 

Appleton 

*Cook 

The Play Way 

Stokes 

Mitchell 

The School Theater 

Brentano 

Overton 

Drama in Education 

Century 

Calvert 

The Problems of an Actor 

Holt 

Stanislavsky My Life in Art 

Little, Brown & Co. 

Bates 

Art of Producing Pageants 

W. H. Baker Co. 

Clark 

How to Produce Amateur 



Plays 

Little, Brown & Co, 

/ 

COSTUMES 


Gimball 

Costuming a Play 

Century 

Stone 

The Bankside Costume Book 

Wells Gardner 

Trephagen 

Costume Design and Illus¬ 


trations 

Wiley & Sons 

Calthorp 

British Costumes 

MacMillan 

MacQuoid 

Four Hundred Years of 
Children’s Costumes 

Vol. HI—From the Great 



Masters 

MUSIC AND DANCING 

Medici 

Botsford 

Folk Songs of Many People 



(2 Vol.) 

Womans Press 

Burchenal 

Folk Dances and Singing 



Games 

Franklin 

Dalcroze 

Rhythms and Music in Edu¬ 



cation 

Putnam 

Everett 

Kindergarten and Primary 



Songs 

Beckley-Cardy 

Everett 

School Marches and 



Rhythms 

Beckley-Cardy 

Shafter 

Dramatic Dances for Small 



Children 

Burnes 

Warner 

Kindergarten Book of Folk 



Songs 

Schirmer 

Davison 

Music Education in America 

Harper 

*Unusually helpful for all grades of teaching. 



114 













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